The wait is finally over as fans in Charlotte, NC and those watching at home will be treated to the main event of the evening; a five-round fight between two scary finishers in the Heavyweight Division. No. 9 ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik will look to stop the surging prospect of Brazil's No. 12 ranked Jailton Almeida. This is going to be an electric main event! Check out our UFC odds series for our Rozenstruik-Almeida prediction and pick.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik is 13-4 as a professional fighter and has gone 7-4 in his UFC career. He rose to quick prominence with his lightning fast hands and KO power, earning him a shot at the title and a top ranking. He hasn't been lucky as of late, winning just three of his last seven fights. His last fight was a win against Chris Daukus in the first round. Rozenstruik stands 6'2″ with a 78-inch reach.
Jailton Almeida is 18-2 inside the octagon and is a perfect 4-0 in the UFC after winning a contract on DWCS. Almeida comes in as one of the scariest prospects we've ever seen at heavyweight with his slick jiu jitsu and grappling that resembles that of a middleweight. He finished his first three UFC fights in the first round and won his last fight against Shamil Abdurakhimov in the second round via submission. A quick finish here would propel him up the rankings. Almeida stands 6'3″ with a 79-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Charlotte Odds: Jairzinho Rozenstruik-Jailton Almeida Odds
Jairzinho Rozenstruik: +390
Jailton Almeida: -550
Over (1.5) rounds: +166
Under (1.5) rounds: -215
How to Watch Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Jailton Almeida
TV: ABC
Stream: UFC Fight Pass, fuboTV
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET/ 12:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Jairzinho Rozenstruik Will Win
Jairzinho Rozenstruik is best known for his blitzing attacks and lighting fast hands during heated exchanges. “Bigi Boy” has faced some of the toughest competition heavyweight has to offer, including Francis Ngannou, Curtis Blaydes, and Ciryl Gane. He has a massive experience advantage over Almeida and will look to use some of his veteran prowess in avoiding another quick loss. Rozenstruik will feel most comfortable standing and striking with the inexperienced Almeida. If he can defend himself properly, he could land the more precise shots if the two begin swinging wildly.
To win this fight, Rozenstruik will have to avoid the impending takedown from Almeida. On the ground, Rozenstruik has had trouble getting to his feet in the past. He won't want to risk getting caught in a submission down there, so Rozenstruik should look to stand with Almeida whenever possible. Rozenstruik should also utilize his head movement as Almeida tends to over-extend himself on looping punches. If he can duck under and land a few counter shots, he could be able to hurt his opponent.
Why Jailton Almeida Will Win
Jailton Almeida is a scary prospect in this division because of the way he is built and the way he moves for his size. He usually weighs in around 230 pounds, making him one of the lighter heavyweights on the roster. He moves like a Middleweight and has tremendous Brazilian jiu jitsu for someone of his size. If Almeida manages to wrap his hands, it's going to be a long night for his opponent. If Almeida can land a few takedowns early, there's reason to believe that he'll lock up a submission win in a hurry.
To win this fight, Almeida will have to be patient in waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Against a fighter like Rozenstruik, Almeida must be careful to not leave himself open to counter punches. He'll be the less-seasoned striker in the cage, so Almeida should look to play into his biggest strength on the ground. The biggest question for Almeida will be whether his gas tank can hold up during a five round fight. All of his UFC performances thus far haven't made it past the second round. If Almeida finds himself in rounds 3, 4, and 5, it'll be interesting to see how his cardio holds up and whether his ability to wrestle is compromised. Pay very close attention to his breathing throughout this fight.
Final Jairzinho Rozenstruik-Jailton Almeida Prediction & Pick
While Jairzinho Rozenstruik will likely remain a gatekeeper of the top of the heavyweight division, he's going to have a hard time stoping Jailton Almeida. The only way Rozenstruik can win this fight is if he stuffs the first few takedowns and catches Almeida with a big shot. Other than that, the prediction is that Jailton Almeida goes out there and gets the quick win, propelling him to the top of the heavyweight division. Since the odds on his line are so juiced, let's take Almeida to finish the fight by submission in the first or second rounds.
Final Jairzinho Rozenstruik-Jailton Almeida Prediction & Pick: Jailton Almeida Wins by Submission in Round 1 (+220); Wins by Submission in Round 2 (+650)
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