UFC veteran opens up on 'brutal' exit after Dana White's criticism
Former UFC heavyweight contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik has revealed that he discovered his release from the UFC online, before being told by the promotion.
The 37-year-old was let go by the UFC just days after his most recent fight - a unanimous decision loss to Sergei Pavlovich in February. Following the dust-up, UFC boss Dana White didn't mince words about the fight, labelling it 'horrible,' and the only one booed throughout the night.
As Rozenstruik was returning home after the painful defeat, White felt compelled to release the Suriname-born fighter from the company. When asked on a recent episode of the Ariel Helwani Show if he had any regrets about leaving the UFC, 'Bigi Boy' responded: "No I did not.
"I had a good run with the UFC and they weren't bad to me. The way they cut me was dirty, but, as I say, if there is no need for each other to work together anymore, then we have to move on. But I can't say anything bad of the UFC." The MMA veteran elaborated on his comment about his 'dirty' dismissal.
"For example, I flew down from Saudi Arabia, which is a long trip," the 37-year-old detailed. "I came home tired, I went to bed, there was a big time difference so I was sleeping during the day, and I got several phone calls. So [my cut] was on the internet before I knew of it, put it that way."
He added: "For me it was surprising and I really don't know what the reason was, or what the reason is. So I just move on from what I left there in the UFC, it was a great time and run, and I'm just moving forward." Addressing whether his fighting style might have led to his release, Rozenstruik responded: "I'm a fighter, not a computer. You don't put a system and then you expect to do what you like.
"It's a fight - every fight is different. You have to react to what the opponent is doing. I'm looking for my opportunities. I will not run in there and get robbed by something that I didn't see coming. I have my own way of fighting, so you have to give me the task to make it happen - that's how I see it."
During his stint with the UFC, Rozenstruik secured a commendable 9:6 record, with eight knockouts among those nine victories. The former UFC heavyweight star has notable wins over Andrei Arlovski, Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, Shamil Gaziev, and fan-favourite Tai Tuivasa.
His unexpected exit from the UFC left many supporters stunned, given his strong performance history. Rozenstruik has since joined Dirty Boxing, a venture partly owned by UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones and Mike Perry. The promotion's next event is set for June 14 in Miami, featuring a headline heavyweight bout between Rozenstruik and Devon Schwan.
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