Two heavyweights will collide in December when former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos and former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem face off at UFC on FOX 17 in December. The UFC made the news official on Tuesday.
The Brazilian and Dutch fighters have been paired twice in the past, but both times the fight failed to materialize. The fight was first booked in May of 2012 at UFC 146, but Overeem’s epitestosterone-to-testosterone ratio was considered out of bounds in a pre-fight drug test by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC). Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir ended up taking Overeem’s place.
Dos Santos and Overeem were set to meet again in May of 2013 at UFC 160, but Overeem withdrew from the bout due to injury, ultimately being replaced by Mark Hunt.
The Brazilian, 31, enters this bout having most-recently defeated Stipe Miocic in a hard-fought unanimous decision win at UFC on FOX 13 in December of 2014. His MMA record stands at 17-3.
Overeem, 35, is riding a two-fight win streak where he recently bested Roy Nelson via unanimous decision in March at UFC 185. He enters the bout opposite dos Santos with a record of 39-14 and 1 no-contest.
UFC on FOX 17 takes place at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. The event is set for December 19th and is headlined by a lightweight title clash between champion Rafael dos Anjos and challenger Donald Cerrone.