Following a lifeless decision loss just three months ago, No. 6-ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik told the UFC brass that he wanted another fight as soon as possible, regardless of the opponent. He got his wish, and the bruising slugger gets a chance to bounce back Saturday against ninth-ranked Augusto Sakai in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai. The main UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai fight card is set for 7 p.m. ET from the Apex facility in Las Vegas. This is an elimination contest of sorts, as the winner will remain relevant in the discussion for a title shot, while the loser will absorb his second consecutive loss and face a daunting path back to the top of the crowded division.
Rozenstruik is priced as a -130 favorite (risk $130 to win $100), while Sakai is listed at +110 in the latest Rozenstruik vs. Sakai odds from William Hill Sportsbook. The co-main event also features heavyweight contenders as Marcin Tybura (-165) takes on Walt Harris, who is the +145 underdog in the UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai odds. Before locking in any UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai picks, make sure you see the latest MMA predictions from SportsLine insider Ian Parker.
A former fighter who's been in the industry for 15 years, Parker has managed some of the world's best, including former UFC middleweight champ Chris Weidman, Costas Philippou and Gian Villante. Parker trained alongside UFC Hall of Famer Matt Serra. Now, Parker breaks down fights and makes betting picks for the Voice of the UFC, Jon Anik.
Parker is coming off a mind-boggling 2020 season. On the Anik & Florian Podcast, Parker went an astounding 58-14, returning $9,465 to $100 bettors who followed him. He hit 11 of his 17 underdog picks and 19 of 30 main events. Overall, Parker nailed an astonishing 81 percent of his plays.
Parker has already proven his mettle to SportsLine members. Over the past three UFC Fight Nights, Parker has gone 19-6 to give his followers a profit of nearly $1,400. Two weeks ago, the MMA analyst encouraged SportsLine members to back Rob Font (-115) against former champion Cody Garbrandt (-105) in the bantamweight main event. Font dominated the action to win a lopsided unanimous decision and give Parker's followers another easy winner. Anyone who has followed Parker has seen massive returns.
Now, with UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai approaching, Parker has studied the MMA odds and matchups from every angle and released his top picks. Parlaying his best bets together would return more than 10-1. You can only see them here.
UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai preview
Parker knows the main event will play a part in the trajectory of a heavyweight division that is suddenly packed with viable contenders. The winner will remain the conversation for a title shot in the near future, while the loser likely will face a long road back to contention.
Rozenstruik (11-2) emerged as a contender with stoppage victories in each of his first four UFC fights after making his debut with the promotion in February 2019. The kickboxing specialist memorably knocked out former title contender Alistair Overeem with four seconds left of their five-round main event in December 2019. He was trailing on all scorecards at the time.
But the 33-year-old Surinamese fighter faltered when presented with a step-up in competition. He was finished in 20 seconds by current champion Francis Ngannou in their May 2020 fight. He picked up a win over former champion Junior dos Santos before dropping a lopsided decision to rising contender Cyril Game in their February matchup.
Sakai (15-2-1) made a strong impression by showing a varied skill set while winning his first four UFC fights. But two of those came by split decision and, when faced with a higher-caliber opponent, he was stopped by Overeem in September of last year. The 30-year-old Brazilian has 11 stoppages among his 15 professional MMA victories. You can only see Parker's coveted Rozenstruik vs. Sakai picks here.
Top UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai predictions
We'll reveal one of Parker's UFC Fight Night predictions here: He is backing Roman Dolidze (-140) to get his hand raised against Laureano Staropoli (+120) in a clash of middleweight prospects on the main card.
Staropoli (9-3) showed a lethal combination of power punching and ground game while starting his career with a 7-1 mark with all victories coming by knockout or submission. The 28-year-old Argentinian made his UFC debut in November 2018 and started his stint with the promotion with wins over veterans Hector Aldana and Thiago Alves. But Staropoli has lost two straight and is looking to rebound from the low point of his career that saw him miss weight by nearly four pounds before then losing a unanimous decision to veteran Tim Means last August.
Dolidze (8-1) used his versatile skills set to become the light heavyweight champion in the World Warriors Fighting Championships promotion before the UFC came beckoning. The 32-year-old Georgian notched wins in his first two UFC appearances before dropping a decision to fellow prospect Trevin Giles in March.
"The biggest difference will be the grappling of Dolidze. He has solid striking but is known for his takedowns and his heel hooks. The path to victory for Dolidze is to avoid the striking game of Staropoli and to take the fight to the ground immediately," Parker told SportsLine.
How to make UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai picks
Parker also has strong picks for Rozenstruik vs. Sakai and other top fights on the UFC Fight Night card. He is also backing one fighter who "has the advantage in striking, grappling and cardio." Those UFC picks are only available at SportsLine.
Who wins Rozenstruik vs. Sakai? And which fighter is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed UFC Fight Night picks, all from the ultimate insider who's up nearly $9,500 on MMA picks in the past year, and find out.
UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Sakai odds, fight card
Jairzinho Rozenstruik (-130) vs. Augusto Sakai (+110)
Walt Harris vs Marcin Tybura (-165) vs. Walt Harris (+145)
Roman Dolizde (-140) vs. Laureano Staropoli (+120)
Miguel Baeza (-120) vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio (+105)
Dusko Todorovic (-160) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (+140)
Montana De La Rosa (-270) vs. Ariane Lipski (+230)
Manon Fiorot (-165) vs. Maryna Moroz (+145)
Sean Woodson (-185) vs. Youssef Zalal (+165)
Mason Jones (-300) vs. Alan Patrick (+250)
Jordan Leavitt (-190) vs Claudio Puelles (+170
