Alistair Overeem entered the UFC in late-2011 lugging around a trio of prestigious titles (Strikeforce, DREAM, and K-1 heavyweight championships), plus a superhero physique to boot. He was effectively a marketer’s dream, the man who retired the UFC’s cash cow in a vicious two-minute long Octagon debut, and the man who was, supposedly, the next great heavyweight champion of this era.
How quickly things change.
Following his loss to Ben Rothwell on Friday, Overeem has now lost three of his past four contests. Making matters worse, he was the betting favorite in all three of those losses, and all three ended via brutal, highlight-reel knockouts inside the first round.
Yet still, the now 34-year-old Overeem has made it clear that he intends to continue on with his mixed martial arts career. And despite his hefty price tag, it looks like it’ll be inside the UFC.
“He’s still ranked in the top-10,” UFC President Dana White said on ‘UFC Tonight’ when asked what was next for the Dutchman.
“He’s still one of the top-10 heavyweights in the world, and we’ll get him another fight.”