Just 18 months ago, Alistair Overeem was the biggest bust in UFC history.
‘Reem signed with the UFC in 2011 with a massive wave of hype behind him. Dream heavyweight champion. Strikeforce heavyweight champion. K-1 2010 World Grand Prix winner. His mantel was full of trophies, with the sole omission being the UFC heavyweight title. When he debuted in the UFC by knocking out Brock Lesnar at UFC 141, setting up a title shot opposite Junior dos Santos, it seemed like he was destined to go down as one of the most accomplished fighters in combat sports.
Then came a failed drug test that cost him his shot at gold. Then came three knockout losses across a four-fight stretch. It was easy to assume Overeem was done, and many did just that.
When he roared back into title contention with three straight wins over Stefan Struve, Roy Nelson and dos Santos, many still found reason to doubt him. The only way to silence doubters, however, is to just keep winning.
He did just that at Sunday’s UFC Fight Night 87 by scoring a feel-good win over Andrei Arlovski.
In the first round, Arlovski dictated the early goings, clipping Overeem with a hard flurry of punches before taking over the clinch game. Overeem would survive but was clearly reluctant to advance on Arlovski for a time. They spent much of the round circling one another, with both men flicking leg kicks and Overeem occasionally initiating the clinch and landing a knee. With 40 seconds left, the Dutch crowd’s hometown favorite completed a sneaky outside trip and settled into Arlovski’s guard, likely stealing the round.
The second frame, however, was pure gunslinging. Overeem and Arlovski exchanged heavy strikes for the opening minute until Overeem returned to range and leaped into a crane kick, similar to the one seen in The Karate Kid. The strike landed clean to Arlovski’s chin, putting him on wobbly legs. Then came a massive left hook from Overeem that sent Arlovski to the mat.
The former UFC champion turtled and offered no real resistance to the flurry of ground-and-pound. Overeem poured on punishment until, at 1:12 of the second round, the referee called the fight.
Overeem didn’t necessarily show off anything new in this fight, once again scoring the win with his diverse striking attack. It was, however, a reminder that he is one of the best finishers in MMA today, regardless of his struggles in 2014. It also served as a demonstration that there isn’t a man alive that can take his best shot, including the UFC heavyweight champion, Overeem suggested after the fight.
“We’re going to get that belt in November,” he said to the crowd (h/t MMAJunkie.com‘s Steven Marrocco for the transcription). “November 12, Madison Square Garden, Werdum [versus] Stipe, may the best man win. But I’m going to take on that winner. I’m going to beat that winner, and then next year, 2017, we’re going to be defending the belt here in Amsterdam Arena.”
On paper, he should indeed be in line for a crack at the winner of UFC 198’s heavyweight title fight between Fabricio Werdum and Stipe Miocic. He entered Fight Night 87 as the No. 4 heavyweight in all of MMA, according to Bleacher Report’s MMA rankings, and with Werdum and Miocic sitting in the No. 1 and 3 spots, respectively, there is very little competition.
That said, the UFC feels committed to putting the belt back on No. 2-ranked Cain Velasquez. The former champ dropped the title to Werdum at UFC 188 last June, but the UFC immediately booked him for a rematch at UFC 196 that fans and critics largely panned.
He was forced to withdraw from the fight due to injury and has since been slated to face Travis Browne at UFC 200, according to Fox Sports’ Damon Martin, but he still owns a preferred spot in the minds of UFC decision-makers in part due to his popularity in Mexico. With an impressive win, Velasquez may just be able to cut Overeem in line.
Regardless of the belt, however, Overeem’s rise back to the top is complete. He is one of the best heavyweights in the world, and there is absolutely no way to deny it.
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