- What: UFC Vegas 87 Main Event
- Who: Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev
- Date: Saturday, March 2, 2024
- Location: UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV
- Time: Prelims (1:00 p.m. ET) Main Card (4:00 p.m. ET)
- How to Watch: ESPN+
The UFC returns to Las Vegas for Saturday’s UFC Vegas 87 fight card. In the main event, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, who is the No. 12 fighter in the official UFC heavyweight rankings, faces the unranked Shamil Gaziev. Here is some information on the Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev matchup before we discuss the betting breakdown for the UFC Vegas 87 fight card.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik (13-5) opened his pro career with a 10-0 run with nine knockout wins. Things have slowed for the power puncher since then, and he is 3-5 over the past four years. The 35-year-old is coming off a May 2023 submission setback to Jailton Almeida. His most recent win was a December 2022 23-second knockout of Chris Daukaus. Rozenstruik has 12 knockout victories and one decision win. He has two KO losses, one submission defeat and two decision setbacks.
Shamil Gaziev (12-0) made his UFC debut in December 2023 with a second-round knockout win over Martin Buday. The 34-year-old has eight knockout wins, three submissions, and one decision.
Before we look at the best bets for the Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev matchup on the UFC Vegas 87 card, check out the best UFC betting sites and where you can find the best odds on all the UFC fights.
UFC Vegas 87: Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev betting picks
Jairzinho Rozenstruik betting breakdown
Jairzinho Rozenstruik is a former kickboxer, and he uses those skills almost exclusively inside the Octagon. In 12 UFC fights, Rozenstruik has never attempted a takedown or a submission. It’s striking or bust for Rozenstruik when it comes to his offense.
He has powerful hands, and most of his output is focused on his opponent’s head, but he can use leg kicks if his opponent gives him the opportunity. Until recently, Rozenstruik was mostly a counter striker. However, against fighters he knows will try to get the fight to the mat, Rozenstruik can be aggressive in his striking because he struggles on the mat against fighters who have a heavy top game.
Rozenstruik’s wait-and-see striking approach results in his strikes landed per minute being fairly low at 2.81 blows landed per 15 minutes. On the defensive side of the ledger, Rozenstruik gets hit 3.15 times per minute.
Shamil Gaziev betting breakdown
Shamil Gaziev went from competing in the opening bout of the UFC 296 early prelims to the main event of this fight card. That’s a big step up for a fighter, but he enters this fight as the betting favorite, so the UFC must see something in him.
Gaziev is a pressure fighter. He stalks his opponents and keeps them fighting off their back foot. This approach does not give his foes time to set their feet and counter. He also throws many combinations, which allow him to strike and then slip out of range and avoid counters. Gaziev also has fast hands for a man of his size and stature, 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds.
Gaziev’s output is high for his size, averaging 6.19 significant strikes per minute, and he only gets hit 0.93 times per minute, which shows how effective his power and aggression are inside the cage. It should be noted, those numbers are from his two most recent finishes.
Gaziev mainly uses his hands but tends to mix things up between the body and head, especially when his opponent is hurt against the cage.
Best Bets – UFC Vegas 87: Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev
If there is a concern about Shamil Gaziev in this matchup, it’s if his cardio and output can last for a five-round fight should Jairzinho Rozenstruik extend him to the distance in Vegas. Gaziev has only gone the distance once, which was not against UFC-caliber talent. If Gaziev’s cardio is up to snuff, his style presents many challenges for Rozenstruik, who can sometimes be too content to wait for openings for counters. The betting pick is for Shamil Gaziev to beat Jairzinho Rozenstruik by knockout at UFC Vegas 87.
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