After a whirlwind of rumors leading up to UFC 141, Alistair Overeem will in fact take on Brock Lesnar in the main event of that pay-per-view.
UFC 141 will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena at 7 p.m. PT and 10 p.m. ET on Dec. 30.
Following years of discussion, Overeem will finally make his UFC debut after signing with the organization earlier this year.
His opponent, Lesnar, will have to answer many questions in his return to the Octagon after being off for a full year due to an illness referred to as diverticulitis.
However, he won’t be the only man in the Octagon who will be faced with questions as it will be the biggest fight of Overeem’s mixed martial arts career.
In order for Overeem to move closer to a heavyweight title shot, he’ll have to prove to the world he can handle the premier stage of mixed martial arts.
It’s likely Overeem may be hesitant out of the gate when action begins, as he’ll likely endure debut jitters. However, Overeem must overcome any anxiousness he may have and stick to his game plan early.
Overeem’s biggest question will come when Lesnar goes for the double-leg takedown.
Whether he can stop it will not only be the biggest question Overeem must answer but ultimately a deciding factor in the outcome of their main event bout.
However, if Overeem is taken to the ground, he’ll need to answer the question of whether or not he can escape or return to his feet.
More times than not, when Lesnar takes an opponent to the ground, they stay there.
Overeem must demonstrate the ability to escape from his back or somehow manage to catch Lesnar in a submission similar to that of Frank Mir at UFC 81.
If Overeem can remain on his feet and avoid grappling with Lesnar, he should leave Las Vegas with his first UFC victory.
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