Alistair Overeem is keen to the scent of fear, and in his mind, UFC heavyweight champ Junior Dos Santos reeks of it.
Dos Santos, who was rumored to be facing Cain Velasquez later this year, told UFC President Dana White he would much rather face Overeem.
According to the champ, Overeem has talked plenty of trash, and he would love nothing more than to knock him out.
Overeem responded to Dos Santos’ comments during an appearance on UFC Tonight on Tuesday.
“I think he’s afraid to fight me. He was happy that the last fight on May 26 didn’t happen against us. I approached him at the UFC Fighter Summit in Vegas and said, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s prove something to the world and let’s fight.’ Then he suddenly acted like he didn’t understand English and how he wants to fight Cain first.”
Overeem was initially set to challenge Dos Santos for the UFC title in May, but after failing a pre-fight drug test due to elevated testosterone levels, he was pulled from the card.
Dos Santos wasn’t too happy about the failed drug test. He saw it as proof that Overeem really didn’t deserve a UFC title shot. In an interview with ESPN, he even went as far as calling Overeem a “fake fighter.”
“When you have a fight with two ‘clean’ fighters, you will know after the fight who is the real champion. A guy who uses doping is a fake fighter,” said Dos Santos. “Using drugs is completely unnecessary, and I am the living proof. I’m the champion, and I never used any kind of forbidden substances.
“Fighting a guy that uses these kinds of drugs is completely unfair and useless. With or without any kind of authorization [for using testosterone], the fighter who uses those substances is never fighting with his own skills. He is enhancing his power with those drugs.”
Overeem will be eligible to reapply for a new license with the Nevada State Athletic Commission in December.
During the post-fight press conference for UFC on FOX 4, White admitted a bout with Overeem would be a long wait, but he liked seeing a fired-up Dos Santos. He didn’t make any guarantees Overeem would get the next shot, but all possibilities are being explored.
A Dos Santos vs. Overeem bout would be a true super fight in the heavyweight division.
With the emergence of Daniel Cormier in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, people tend to forget that Overeem is the true Strikeforce heavyweight champion. He was stripped of his title and removed from the tournament due to an incident involving Zuffa and Golden Glory Gym.
Velasquez truly deserves another shot at the UFC title, but it’s hard to pass up a champion vs. champion bout between two of the best heavyweights in the world.
Overeem believes Dos Santos should give the fans what they want.
“First he wants to fight Cain and now me. Talk all you want. Come into the Octagon. I will immediately say yes. Give me and the fans what they want. But he’s expecting that fight not to happen. I would welcome that fight and want it to happen. I would say yes every time to that fight.
Junior, give me and the fans and the UFC what they want. You’ve already fought Cain. That would just be another win. But a win over me would give you the number one spot.”
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