Alistair Overeem to Face Teammate in UFC’s Netherlands Debut Main Event

Former Strikeforce heavyweight champ and current UFC heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem re-upped with the UFC last week, and it didn’t take long for him to get his next fight lined up. According Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter, the ‘Reem will face …

Former Strikeforce heavyweight champ and current UFC heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem re-upped with the UFC last week, and it didn’t take long for him to get his next fight lined up. According Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter, the ‘Reem will face off with his Jackson-Winkeljohn teammate—Andrei Arlovski. The news was first broken on Twitter:

The matchup is something of a strange one for a variety of reasons.

First and foremost, Overeem is one of the heavyweight division’s biggest names, and with strong positioning at the bargaining table, he seemed poised to demand a title shot, a la Gilbert Melendez in 2014. Why he would take a fight against a fairly dangerous opponent, regardless of the fact that the fight will take place in his home country, is anyone’s guess.

Second, this is a serious departure from standard UFC matchmaking. Overeem is riding an impressive winning streak for the first time since joining the UFC, while Arlovski is coming off a devastating loss to Stipe Miocic and an uninspiring decision win over Frank Mir.

The UFC used to rigidly match fighters riding wins against one another, and while it’s been moving away from that in recent months, it has not done so with fighters in reach of a title shot.

And of course, it’s strange to see two teammates face off. Arlovski and Overeem share a coaching staff and gym, and it isn’t all that often that fighters are willing to face off under those circumstances. 

All that said, this is an intriguing pairing for fans. Both men have distinct striking styles, with Reem’s lethal kicks and knees running opposite Pitbull’s dynamic hands. Fans who like to see unique strikers face off in the cage might just be in for a treat here.

The fight will go down at UFC: Rotterdam (also known as Fight Night 87) on May 8. Keep an eye out for more details on the bout.

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