What’s next for Ciryl Gane and Jairzinho Rozenstruik after UFC Vegas 20?

By Cole Shelton - March 1, 2021

In the main event of UFC Vegas 20, Ciryl Gane was looking to prove himself as an elite heavyweight as he battled Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

Ciryl Gane, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, UFC rankings

Gane was looking to remain undefeated and pick up the biggest win of his career as it was his first UFC main event. Rozenstruik, meanwhile, was looking to be in a number one contender bout next time out. Ultimately, it was Gane who won all five rounds in a very lackluster fight.

Now, following UFC Vegas 20, here is what I think should be next for Ciryl Gane and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

Ciryl Gane

Ciryl Gane has all the tools to be UFC heavyweight champion one day. However, he certainly didn’t gain many fans on Saturday night.

Although the fight was not the most entertaining, Gane proved he can fight five rounds and showed off his fight IQ. It was a dominant performance from the Frenchman who will likely need a few more wins to get a title shot.

With Stipe Miocic defending his belt against Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones facing the winner, Gane is in a weird spot. The UFC could match the Frenchman with Derrick Lewis, but “The Black Beast” appears interested in facing Alistair Overeem. The fight that makes the most sense is Gane vs. Alexander Volkov in the main event of a Fight Night card in the summer.

Jairzinho Rozenstruik

This was no doubt a disappointing performance from Jairzinho Rozenstruik. The fourth-ranked heavyweight said he was going to shine on Saturday but that is far from what happened. The kickboxer had a tough time getting inside and hitting Gane.

Although Rozenstruik lost and went five rounds, he didn’t take much damage at all and likely can make a quick turnaround. The fight that makes the most sense is facing the winner of Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Augusto Sakai on May 1. It likely would be a co-main on a Fight Night or a main card fight on a pay-per-view but the winner would likely get a top-six opponent.

Who do you think should be next for Ciryl Gane and Jairzinho Rozenstruik?


Topics:

Ciryl Gane Jairzinho Rozenstruik UFC