UFC 141 has an massive main event with former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar facing former Strikeforce and Dream heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.
Lesnar returns to the Octagon tomorrow night after 14 months out of action due to a second battle with diverticulitis, and he welcomes Overeem to the organization.
“I went through the surgery, had 12 inches of my colon removed, three-month layoff (and) back in the gym,” Lesnar said. “(I) got a phone call from Dana White saying, ‘Hey, let’s get you back in the Octagon, are you ready?’ I said, ‘Let’s do it,’ and here I am. I feel blessed to be here and I’m just excited to get back into the Octagon Friday night.”
Overeem has fought world-class competition all over the world and his elite striking makes him arguably the toughest test of Lesnar’s career.
Friday night’s massive heavyweight tilt marks Overeem’s inaugural trip to the Octagon, but he’s not your ordinary newcomer as he earned his fifth career victory 10 years prior to Lesnar defeating Shane Carwin to score the fifth win of his career.
“With Brock, it’s pretty straightforward with what he’s going to do,” Overeem said. “He’s going to try and take me down, that makes it easy for a fighter who’s going to be predictable and for me it’s all about stuffing that takedown and keeping the fight in the stand up.
“Keeping it on my terms and my terms is striking. I can say I’m a very good striker, I won the K-1 championship last year. That’s what I’m good at and that’s exactly what I’m going to do with Brock. Keep it standing and out-strike him.”
Both gentlemen sat down with ESPN to talk about the matchup prior to stepping inside the Octagon inside MGM Grand Garden live on pay-per-view tomorrow night.
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