Augusto Sakai returns to the Octagon in the main event of UFC Vegas 28 expecting everything and more in his second consecutive headliner.
Augusto Sakai looks to bounce back from his May 2020 loss against former PRIDE FC champion and long-time heavyweight mainstay, Alistair Overeem. Sakai currently sits at 15-2 as a professional and will take on Jairzinho Rozenstruik in the main event of UFC Vegas 28, which can only be seen on ESPN+.
In speaking with the media ahead of Saturday night’s main event, Sakai looks forward to the opportunity and has a specific prediction as to how the fight will ultimately play out.
“Everyone can expect a big finish, an explosive fight,” Sakai said via a translator. “I really want to leave the cage with a knockout win.”
Sakai has remained solely focused on defeating Rozenstruik but has future plans for what type of fight he would want next.
“Right now, my focus is 100 percent on Jairzinho,” Sakai said. “I want a big performance, a great fight on Saturday night, and I will think about it after the Jairzinho fight. But I want someone who fights in the top-5.”
Augusto Sakai hates the feeling of losing
Sakai’s loss to Overeem was his first under the UFC banner, and the Brazilian hopes to have that feat never get repeated again.
“I was undefeated in the UFC and I hate to lose,” Sakai said. “So, I hate that I lost. The feeling was so bad that I never want to taste that [feeling of losing] anymore.”
Rozenstruik is also coming off a loss in his last outing, as he fell to Ciryl Gane in February by unanimous decision, as both men are looking to get back on track in a crowded heavyweight division.