The last Strikeforce and DREAM heavyweight champion, as well as the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix champion, Alistair Overeem (35-11, 1NC) is set to make his Octagon debut next month in the headliner of UFC 141 against former Champ Brock Lesnar.
Ultimate Figthing Championship execs had offered ‘The Reem’ the next title shot against the winner between Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos, but the Dutch fighter opted to stay busy instead taking the fight with Lesnar on December 30th.
In his recent blog for Yahoo.com, Overeem says he’ll be ready “to prove that I am – without question – the best heavyweight on the planet.”
I think I have earned a UFC world title fight, by winning every major title outside the UFC, but I am here to prove that I am – without question – the best heavyweight on the planet. You don’t do that sitting on the sidelines or working out in the gym, you do that by fighting and beating the best available opposition in the biggest fights that can be made.
Myself vs. Lesnar is a huge fight and I jumped at the chance to fight him.
But I don’t underestimate this man. Winning UFC belt from Randy Couture in his fourth pro MMA fight and defending it against Frank Mir and Shane Carwin was very impressive. I am also impressed by Lesnar’s fighting spirit; he has twice come back from a very serious illness and fought very tough opposition right away. He obviously has a lot of confidence in himself in fighting me after more than a year out and surgery on his stomach, and I admire that about him, but I am even more confident in myself. I will knock this guy out.
He is great at takedowns and controlling people on the ground, but he I can stop his takedowns and he is no match for me on the feet.
I am going to rip Brock Lesnar apart, piece by piece.