In the only heavyweight clash showcased on UFC 185‘s stacked main card, divisional mainstays Roy Nelson and Alistair Overeem aimed to pad their respective title runs.
With a combination of raw punching power and elite striking technique, the heavyweight throwdown was pegged as a potential show stopper.
Luckily for fight fans watching around the world, the titanic clash lived up to the hype.
Overeem’s striking ultimately reigned supreme, but Nelson did land a few flush shots to cause concern.
Here is what we learned from Saturday’s heavyweight bout and Overeem’s impressive unanimous-decision victory.
What We’ll Remember About This Fight
As hard as it is for veterans to adopt fresh tendencies, Overeem’s patient and calculated striking continues to evolve.
Unfortunately for Nelson, Saturday was just another step in The Reem’s process of becoming a bona fide heavyweight title contender.
From leg kicks to oblique strikes, from quick jabs to body strikes, Overeem pounded Nelson like he was kneading bakery dough.
While Nelson landed his fair share of right hands and uppercuts, the Dutchman avoided any seriously dangerous situations. He demonstrated the overall versatility and focus to push through a true knockout artist.
And for that, Overeem’s performance was one to remember.
What We Learned About Overeem
Like an old dog learning new tricks, Overeem continues to prove that he can adapt to the talent-rich heavyweight division.
Unlike previous performances, The Reem kept his cool, picked his shots, maintained distance and utilized his mixture of speed and technique. It’s a deadly combination for any future opponent to face and one that was simply overwhelming for a one-punch finisher like Nelson.
Look for Overeem to build off this victory and improve on his already elite striking skills even more.
What We Learned About Nelson
At this point in his career, it’s becoming evident that Nelson is a one-trick pony.
With some of the best power punches in the UFC today, especially his overhand right, Big Country has the ability to finish a fight at any time.
But when he’s matched up with a superior striker like he was at UFC 185, things tend to take a turn for the worse. He just doesn’t possess the all-around game to push the pace and score points when he’s behind on the scorecards.
And because of that, Nelson is going to have a tough time capturing victory in the future outside of first-round knockouts.
What’s Next for Overeem
The time has come.
Overeem has finally done enough within the UFC heavyweight division to garner serious consideration for a title shot sometime in 2015.
He most likely has to win one more fight before challenging the winner of Cain Velasquez vs. Fabricio Werdum, but The Reem is so close he can smell it.
A future showdown with Junior dos Santos makes the most sense at this time.
What’s Next for Nelson
On the heels of two straight disappointing defeats, Nelson will be forced to come out swinging the next time he steps inside of the cage.
The 38-year-old’s professional window is closing as we speak. However, with elite punching power, Nelson is always one punch away from proving his worth in a rather shallow division.
A fight with Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva is the most logical matchup to make right now.
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