Former UFC heavyweight contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik is facing serious legal trouble after authorities arrested him in Florida on multiple domestic violence-related charges.
On Monday, Jan. 19, police took Rozenstruik into custody following an alleged incident involving his partner. Court records show he was charged with a third-degree felony for false imprisonment, with bond set at $2,500, and a misdemeanor count of touch or strike/battery/domestic violence, carrying a $1,000 bond. A native of Suriname, Rozenstruik was also placed on a 48-hour immigration hold, which took effect on Jan. 20.
According to a police report obtained by MMA Fighting, officers initially responded to what was described as a “suspicious incident” before determining it was “a domestic battery incident” involving Rozenstruik and his partner.
Police said Rozenstruik initially downplayed the situation and urged officers not to intervene.
“Police stated that Rozenstruik made vague allegations that his partner was pushing him during an argument and advised officers that ‘they figured it out’ and did not need law enforcement,” the report noted.
Authorities later returned to the residence and spoke directly with Rozenstruik’s partner, who provided a different account of the incident. She told police the argument began while they were driving to a storage unit.
“She claimed that during the argument she chose to ignore Jairzinho, which prompted him to allegedly actually and intentionally slap her hand, causing her cell phone to fall to the car floor,” the report stated.
According to the alleged victim, Rozenstruik struck her hand again when she picked up the phone and then grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving the vehicle. She told officers she punched the heavyweight “with a closed fist in the head multiple times in self-defense.”
The report further alleges that after parking the vehicle, Rozenstruik attempted to kiss her, which she rejected. She said her response angered him.
“She told police that comment angered Rozenstruik and that he allegedly actually and intentionally bit her right bicep against her will,” the report said.
Police noted that the argument continued at another location, where Rozenstruik again allegedly grabbed her arm to prevent her from exiting the vehicle. The woman eventually escaped after punching him again in self-defense and fleeing with her belongings.
Officers documented visible injuries, including a bite mark on her right bicep, redness on both forearms, and a scratch or bruise under her right eye. Police photographed the injuries as part of the investigation.
The report also highlighted Rozenstruik’s conduct during questioning.
“Rozenstruik was uncooperative during the investigation and had changed his account of the incident multiple times and withheld information regarding the incident. Multiple attempts were needed for Jairzinho to give his account of the incident,” police stated.
Investigators concluded that the evidence pointed clearly in one direction.
“Due to the above factors and the totality of the circumstances, probable cause that Jairzinho was the primary aggressor during this incident and committed the alleged crime was established,” the report concluded.
Police arrested Rozenstruik without incident and transported him to the main jail.
Rozenstruik, 37, spent six years on the UFC roster and ranked among the promotion’s top heavyweights for a significant stretch of his career. During his run, he earned notable victories over Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, and Andrei Arlovski, while also facing elite competition such as Francis Ngannou.
The UFC released Rozenstruik from his contract in 2025 following a 3–4 stretch, capped by a decision loss to Sergei Pavlovich. He later signed with Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing promotion, where he captured the heavyweight title in just his second appearance.
The legal case involving Jairzinho Rozenstruik remains ongoing, with further developments expected in the coming days.
