Author: Jordy McElroy

Alistair Overeem: Signing with UFC Was ‘One of the Biggest Days of My Life’

It’s been quite the day for newly-signed UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem. Shortly after signing a contract with the UFC, Overeem learned he would be facing former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar on the upcoming December 30 pay-per-view card. “Honest…

It’s been quite the day for newly-signed UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem.

Shortly after signing a contract with the UFC, Overeem learned he would be facing former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar on the upcoming December 30 pay-per-view card.

“Honestly, it feels like one of the biggest days in my life, a sort of life-changing thing,” Overeem told Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com. “UFC is really big. They just did the FOX deal. You have all these possible match-ups happening right now, so for me, it’s a very exciting time. The team is very excited. UFC people are very excited.”

Since joining the heavyweight ranks, Overeem has steamrolled the competition in various organizations outside the UFC. He is the reigning Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Dream Interim Heavyweight Champion and K-1 World Grand Prix Champion.

With an exclusive UFC deal in place, Overeem will relinquish all of those titles in hopes of capturing the most prestigious championship in all of MMA––the UFC heavyweight title.

“I got offered to fight for the championship belt, but that would mean I had to wait, because of course [Junior] Dos Santos is fighting [Cain] Velasquez November 12. It’s going to be a great fight. Then probably these guys are going to need some healing time, relaxing time, so November plus six months, that will probably be May,” said Overeem.

“I’m a fighter. I like to be active, so then some names came rolling out and Brock Lesnar was among them, and I think it’s a dream match-up. The fans want to see it. I want to see it. I’m very excited about this fight, so I immediately said yes.”

When it comes to pay-per-view, there is no bigger name in the sport than Lesnar. A fight pitting the former champions against one another could smash sales records.

The winner of the bout is expected to challenge the winner of Velasquez and Dos Santos for the heavyweight title.

Lesnar’s health will be a major story heading into December 30. He is coming off a one-year layoff after suffering a second case of diverticulitis. Many people around the MMA community didn’t expect Lesnar to ever fight again, and here he is returning to action earlier than expected.

“I expect [Lesnar] to be 100 percent. I mean, he’s a professional athlete for some period of time now. So he’ll be 100 percent, I’m not worried about that,” Overeem said. “But basically, I’m just focused on myself. I’m going to make sure I’m 100 percent, 120 percent, because Brock is a very strong, big guy, and I don’t really worry about his shape.”

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Josh Koscheck vs. Matt Hughes Confirmed for UFC 135

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes will face Josh Koscheck in the co-main event of UFC 135.
UFC President Dana White confirmed the news on Tuesday via Twitter.
“Diego broke his hand, so Hughes will now fight Koscheck,” White posted.
Hughes wa…

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes will face Josh Koscheck in the co-main event of UFC 135.

UFC President Dana White confirmed the news on Tuesday via Twitter.

“Diego broke his hand, so Hughes will now fight Koscheck,” White posted.

Hughes was to face former lightweight title contender Diego Sanchez, but plans for the bout were scrapped after Sanchez was forced off the card with a broken hand sustained in training.

Immediately after the news broke on Sanchez’s injury, Koscheck wasted no time throwing his name in the hat of potential opponents for the UFC Hall of Famer.

“I’m a big name fighter, so [Hughes] can take that and run with it,” Koscheck said in an interview with USA Today. “I put it out there. I told UFC I’d do it, and if Matt Hughes is man enough, he’ll step up and do it.”

While Hughes is coming off a first round KO loss to longtime nemesis B.J. Penn, Koscheck is finally ready to make his return after suffering a broken orbital bone in a five-round drubbing at the hands of Georges St-Pierre at UFC 124.

In a post on Twitter, Hughes said that he accepted Koscheck’s challenge. He even took things a step further by also accepting to face Jon Fitch, who hold the rank right behind St-Pierre in the welterweight division.

“I said “yes” to facing either Koscheck or Fitch at UFC 135,” Hughes posted. “I just got off the phone with [Dana White], and it looks like Josh for the 24th.”

UFC 135 will take place at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado on September 24. Hughes and Koscheck will serve as the co-main event for the anticipated light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Josh Koscheck vs. Matt Hughes Confirmed for UFC 135

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes will face Josh Koscheck in the co-main event of UFC 135.
UFC President Dana White confirmed the news on Tuesday via Twitter.
“Diego broke his hand, so Hughes will now fight Koscheck,” White posted.
Hughes wa…

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes will face Josh Koscheck in the co-main event of UFC 135.

UFC President Dana White confirmed the news on Tuesday via Twitter.

“Diego broke his hand, so Hughes will now fight Koscheck,” White posted.

Hughes was to face former lightweight title contender Diego Sanchez, but plans for the bout were scrapped after Sanchez was forced off the card with a broken hand sustained in training.

Immediately after the news broke on Sanchez’s injury, Koscheck wasted no time throwing his name in the hat of potential opponents for the UFC Hall of Famer.

“I’m a big name fighter, so [Hughes] can take that and run with it,” Koscheck said in an interview with USA Today. “I put it out there. I told UFC I’d do it, and if Matt Hughes is man enough, he’ll step up and do it.”

While Hughes is coming off a first round KO loss to longtime nemesis B.J. Penn, Koscheck is finally ready to make his return after suffering a broken orbital bone in a five-round drubbing at the hands of Georges St-Pierre at UFC 124.

In a post on Twitter, Hughes said that he accepted Koscheck’s challenge. He even took things a step further by also accepting to face Jon Fitch, who hold the rank right behind St-Pierre in the welterweight division.

“I said “yes” to facing either Koscheck or Fitch at UFC 135,” Hughes posted. “I just got off the phone with [Dana White], and it looks like Josh for the 24th.”

UFC 135 will take place at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado on September 24. Hughes and Koscheck will serve as the co-main event for the anticipated light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Fedor Emelianenko’s Next Fight Set

It’s back to the motherland for MMA legend and former Pride heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko. Vadim Finkelstein, co-founder of M-1 Global, announced on the company’s official website that Emelianenko’s next bout would be in Russia. “Fedor is goin…

It’s back to the motherland for MMA legend and former Pride heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko.

Vadim Finkelstein, co-founder of M-1 Global, announced on the company’s official website that Emelianenko’s next bout would be in Russia.

“Fedor is going to fight in late fall in Russia, we have already reached all the necessary agreements on his fight,” Finkelstein said.

Emelianenko hasn’t fought in his home country since April 2007, when he submitted Matt Lindland at BodogFIGHT: Clash of the Nations.

Coming off three consecutive losses, “The Last Emperor” was recently released from his Strikeforce contract, following a TKO loss to light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson.

There was talk of Emelianenko possibly retiring from the sport, but the champion insisted that he will continue to fight as long as it’s “God’s will” for him to do so.

An official opponent has yet to be named.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report on this unfolding story.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Shogun Rua vs Tito Ortiz on New Year’s Eve?

Fresh off his drubbing of Forrest Griffin at UFC 134, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is looking to take out another former champion in “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” Tito Ortiz. Eduardo Alonso, Rua’s manager, recently spoke with Tatame about the possibility of…

Fresh off his drubbing of Forrest Griffin at UFC 134, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is looking to take out another former champion in “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” Tito Ortiz.

Eduardo Alonso, Rua’s manager, recently spoke with Tatame about the possibility of the Brazilian competing on the December 31 card, which could take place in Abu Dhabi.

“I’ve been hearing some rumors, but until now, there’s nothing concrete about UFC. If it depends only on my plannings, he’d fight on December 31, it’d be great,” Alonso said. “I’d really like him to fight Tito Ortiz since he’s been an icon of the sport and will soon retire.”

Most fans are probably scratching their heads at the mere idea of this bout.

While Rua is a top-three light heavyweight in motion to earn another UFC title shot, Ortiz is coming off a one-sided TKO loss to Rashad Evans.

Despite an inspiring submission victory over Ryan Bader at UFC 132, Ortiz is 1-5-1 in his last seven bouts.

“[Shogun] didn’t have the chance to fight (Randy) Couture, something Lyoto had the luck and credits to do, but I’d like to see this fight,” Alonso said.

“It came from Tito himself, who challenged him, but we’re realistic. I know it’s not much likely, so it’s only left for us to wait. Everybody knows Shogun doesn’t pick his opponents, so we’re open to discussion. To me, the date (December 31) is more important than the opponent.”

Years ago, Ortiz versus Rua was pitted as an MMA dream match, and stylistically, the bout still carries a certain level of intrigue.

According to UFC President Dana White, Rua is now one fight away from another shot at the UFC title, but would a win over a declining Ortiz be enough to grant him that shot?

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Hector Lombard on Anderson Silva: "I Would Go in There to Take His Head Off"

While Anderson Silva’s reign of terror continues inside the UFC octagon, Hector Lombard’s stock is slowly rising on the outside. The Bellator middleweight champion submitted “Ultimate Fighter” Season 7 finalist Jesse Taylor on Saturday at Australian Fi…

While Anderson Silva‘s reign of terror continues inside the UFC octagon, Hector Lombard’s stock is slowly rising on the outside.

The Bellator middleweight champion submitted “Ultimate Fighter” Season 7 finalist Jesse Taylor on Saturday at Australian Fighting Championships 2 in a bout that added another name to an already extensive résumé.

Taylor, a former NCAA Division I wrestler, was no match for Lombard, who utilized his strong Judo-based hips to fend off takedown attempts.

With his wrestling shut down, the UFC castoff spent the majority of his time underneath the brutish Cuban, eating elbows and punches.

The curtains closed on the main event bout when Lombard countered a leg lock attempt with a nasty heel hook that forced Taylor to tap at 1:26 of the second round.

Lombard has long been considered one of the best middleweights in the world, but he hasn’t really had the opportunity to showcase his talents on a mainstream stage. He hasn’t lost a fight in nearly five years, and he’s riding a 23-fight win streak.

With Silva making mincemeat out of UFC contenders, some have already started to rally behind Lombard as a viable threat to the pound-for-pound kingpin’s throne.

“I wouldn’t be frightened of him,” said Lombard, when asked how he would do against Silva. “I would go in there to take his head off.”

Most publications have Lombard listed as a top-10 middleweight. As with Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, it makes sense for the UFC to acquire Lombard’s services. His jarring power and strong grappling base should make him an instant contender in the UFC’s middleweight division.

Can he beat Silva?

This remains to be seen.

It hardly needs to be said, but Anderson Silva is not Jesse Taylor.

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