Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem (34-11, 1NC) said he was “shocked..but very excited” when he read the news that Zuffa had purchased Strikeforce.
The news was first announced on Saturday by UFC President Dana White that they had acquired the Strikeforce company, basically becoming the biggest MMA promotion in the world.
Overeem was a guest on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani on Monday to talk about the biggest deal in the industry as well as his upcoming fight.
“The Demolition Man” is scheduled to meet Fabricio Werdum in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix quarterfinal on June 18 in Dallas, Texas in a non-title bout.
“I was shocked when I read it, but I’m very excited. It’s a very big upset in the MMA world, and the fighting world in general. But yeah, my first thought was, I’m excited. … It was a very big surprise to me and to everybody. The gentlemen did a very good job of keeping the big secret. I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t see it coming at all…I’m a positive guy. I see things through a positive lens. It can be really, really the best thing [that] ever happened to the sport, if it’s used positive, and I see that happening. If it’s used negative, then it’s going to be a downfall. But I don’t see that happening. I see this as a good thing, a good development, so I see the sport growing. We’re going to have to wait and see how it works out. The fans are going to get to see the fights that are most appealing to them. I think this is what the sport needs to grow, because the sport has grown rapidly, but it’s still not there yet. It still needs to grow bigger.”
Check out more of Overeem’s comments at MMAFighting.com