Alistair Overeem considers Jairzinho Rozenstruik fight a win

Alistair Overeem was moments away from a clear-cut unanimous decision win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik when disaster struck. With mere seconds left on the clock, he was dropped by a Rozenstruik punch, which also tore his lip open. Rozenstruik walked off, and the fight was promptly waved off by the referee.

As far as Overeem is concerned, though, the fight should not have been stopped. Though his lip was badly damaged, he was still concious.

Given the controversial stoppage, and the fact that Overeem had won every moment of the fight until that last-second finishing sequence, he’s treating it as a win.

“To me, it was a win, because we beat him every round,” Overeem said at a media scrum ahead of Saturday’s UFC Busan card (transcript via MMA Fighting). “The referee should not have jumped in. I was not KO’d. I stand back up, it was two seconds left, three seconds left, one second left – to me it was a win. And I always fight for myself. Of course, you have fans, it’s great, of course the money is great, but I fight for me, and I see it as a win.

“I beat him very easy all around,” Overeem added. “Okay, I got hit in the last five seconds. My lip is damaged. Who cares?”

In the same scrum, Overeem divulged that he’s hoping to fight again in March or April. In terms of his opponent for that comeback fight, he’s not picky.

What were your thoughts on the recent Alistair Overeem vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik fight?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 12/20/2019.