Thirteen years ago today, Alistair Overeem’s precision striking and brutal knees ended Brock Lesnar’s UFC career.
Thirteen years ago, a former UFC champion made his final walk to the octagon.
At UFC 141 in 2011, [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] stopped former heavyweight champion [autotag]Brock Lesnar[/autotag] in a main event at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The event’s poster touted the size of both men: Lesnar standing at 6-foot-3, 265 pounds, and Overeem 6-foot-5, 256 pounds. Needless to say, the fight wasn’t expected to last long, and it didn’t.
Overeem quickly took control of the center of the octagon, and patiently waited for Lesnar to present an opening. As Overeem pressured forward, Lesnar grabbed a single leg, but quickly let go when he felt resistance.
Soon, Overeem closed the distance and landed vicious knees to the body, putting Lesnar on high alert. Without rushing things, Overeem kept steady forward pressure, and then dug in more hard kicks and knees to the body of Lesnar, who returned to action after a severe bout with diverticulitis.
Overeem needed just 2:26 to take out Lesnar, and send him to retirement from fighting for nearly five years. Lesnar would make one more appearance at UFC 200 in 2016, and then permanently retire from fighting to resume his career in WWE.
You can watch the full fight in the video above, and don’t miss the best photos from the fight below.
Alistair Overeem is happy to see how far Francis Ngannou has come.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] is happy to see how far [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] has come.
Overeem fought Ngannou in a title eliminator bout in December 2017, but wound up on the receiving end of a highlight-reel knockout at UFC 218.
Despite their history, Overeem had nothing but nice things to say about former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou, who now has taken the boxing world by storm.
“I’m very proud of him, very in awe of his life’s journey,” Overeem told MMA Junkie. “From being homeless, an immigrant from Africa, all the way to Paris, into the UFC, moved to the States, and now he’s sitting on the biggest stage. My hat goes off to him. He’s a champ. He’s a stud.”
Ngannou (0-1) faces Anthony Joshua (27-3) in a 10-round boxing match Friday at Kingdom Arena (pay-per-view). After he was able to push WBC champion Tyson Fury to the brink this past October, Overeem thinks Ngannou gained the necessary experience to help him get his hand raised against Joshua.
“I think he’s going to win this time,” Overeem said. “When you look at the factors, his first boxing fight, of course you’re going to have nerves. You don’t know how you’re going to last in 10 rounds. So there could be some nerves there, but I think he doesn’t have that anymore. He did it, he was in there with the best, he lost a decision where there was a lot of argument that he might have even won that fight.
“He did score the knockdown, which I thought was beautiful. So in this fight, I can see Francis Ngannou is more confident. When I look at Anthony Joshua, he had a lot of fights, so his fight rhythm is high, but I’m not seeing the same confidence. … Also, the weight difference (could be a factor). So I’m leaning a little bit toward Francis.”
The MMA world already has said goodbye to many retiring fighters in 2023, from former UFC champions to icons of the sport.
MMA is a constantly evolving sport with a revolving door of athletes entering and exiting. Currently, fighters from the era who helped make the sport so popular are beginning to trickle away from competition and hang up their gloves in order to move on to the next chapter in life.
If there’s one thing that’s well known about combat sports retirements, though, it’s that they often don’t last long. The urge to compete, and perhaps more importantly get a payday, will continue to drive fighters back even well beyond their expiration dates.
2023 has seen an uptick in notable fighters announcing they are done with the sport, and we have a list of those who have opted to walk away this year (the list will update as new retirements are announced).
Alistair Overeem believes Alex Pereira needs to round out his skillset if he wants to remain UFC light heavyweight champion.
[autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] believes [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] needs to round out his skillset if he wants to remain UFC light heavyweight champion.
Pereira (9-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) captured the vacant 205-pound title with a second-round knockout of Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295. Former two-division Glory Kickboxing champion Pereira became a two-weight UFC champion in just seven octagon fights. However, former K-1 World Grand Prix champion Overeem doesn’t see his reign lasting very long.
“He’s interesting,” Overeem said of Pereira in an interview with talkSPORT. “Do I see him as a champion? No. I think, at this moment, they have difficulty figuring him out, but the moment they figure him out they are going to destroy him, and that will be a tough time for him.”
Overeem, who competed in both MMA and kickboxing at the same time throughout his career, believes it’s only a matter of time before Pereira’s weaknesses are exposed.
“I think he’s excellent in the striking department, but his jiu-jitsu and his grappling are not there,” Overeem said “He’s so good in the striking department, other fighters are unable to take him down. The moment they figure him out striking-wise, it’ll be difficult for him.”
Pereira’s resume already includes wins over current UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland and former champions Prochazka, Israel Adesanya and Jan Blachowicz. He is expected to make his first title defense against ex-champ Jamahal Hill, who vacated the belt after rupturing his Achilles tendon.
Fans apparently won’t see Alistair Overeem fight again after he announced his retirement – nor will they see him bulked-up like usual.
Fans apparently won’t see [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] in a professional fight again – nor will they see him bulked-up like usual. That’s because the UFC veteran has made some dramatic lifestyle changes, resulting in his retirement from combat sports.
Overeem, 43, made the announcement casually during a June 1 appearance on “Lovin Dubai” that focused on his health. The interview resurfaced Tuesday (h/t Middle Easy).
“I actually just decided to stop fighting,” Overeem said. “This is not my thing anymore. It’s been 25 years, right? We’re going to do other cool stuff now.”
“Other cool stuff,” according to Overeem, includes plans to “promote health.”
Overeem caused quite the stir last month when a photo of him, alongside Rizin FF CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara, made the rounds on social media. In the photo, Overeem looked shockingly thin, which led many to speculate if he was battling an illness.
Alistair Overeem is looking slim!
The Dutch legend met up with RIZIN CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara last weekend. He's currently serving a suspension but is rumored to return for the GLORY Heavyweight Grand Prix in December, with $500,000 on the line. pic.twitter.com/BFX39fFOZH
As it turns out, Overeem’s considerable weight loss was by choice after he met a “special nutriotionist,” Julian VanHoven, and turned vegetarian.
“He’s like, ‘Yep, we’re gonna detox.’ I’m like a soldier,” Overeem said. “’Okay, let’s go.’ When I met him, I instantly knew this guy has knowledge, so we started working, and I started taking these supplements in a reasonably high dosage, which you can just do on an empty stomach. And after a couple of weeks, my diet, my appetite changed.”
Overeem, who years ago admitted to having a penchant for eating horse meat, detailed how he usually would eat steak at 8 a.m. every day as part of a regiment to build muscle. But that changed rather quickly once he connected with VanHoven.
“When I spoke to Julian, I asked him what’s happening,” Overeem said. “I don’t want to eat my steak anymore, but I want to eat my steak because I want muscles, and he said, ‘You had parasites in your body. We gave you the supplements, you start detoxing your body,’ and these supplements are just simple seaweed.
“Everybody could take it, and this creates an alkaline environment, which these parasites do not like. They will get hurt and die off and once you get rid of them, your tastes change. It’s not me who needs to eat meat, it’s the parasites that influence me, work through me to make me think I want to eat meat, but it’s not me. And once you get rid of them, you don’t care.”
Overeem, a former Strikeforce and DREAM champion, was released from the UFC in March 2021. He returned to kickboxing with GLORY and most recently competed last October against Badr Hari. The fight, originally a unanimous decision win for Overeem, was overturned to a no contest after Overeem failed a drug test.
During an MMA career that spanned 22 years, Overeem went 47-19 as a professional, including 12-8 in the UFC. He holds notable victories over Brock Lesnar, Fabricio Werdum, Junior Dos Santos, Vitor Belfort, and Mark Hunt.
Former Strikeforce champion and UFC title challenger Alistair Overeem has been issued a 12-month suspension following a failed drug test.
[autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] won’t been seen in the GLORY ring anytime soon.
The former Strikeforce champion and UFC title challenger has been issued a 12-month suspension following a failed drug test for his rubber match against long-time rival Badr Hari back in October at GLORY Collision 4 in Amhem, Netherlands.
MMA Junkie verified the news with a GLORY official on Tuesday after it was first reported by Vechtsport Info.
In their third meeting, Overeem defeated Hari by unanimous decision. That victory has now been overturned into a no contest following the failed drug test.
The banned substance Overeem tested positive for has no been disclosed, but GLORY officials issued the following statement:
Alistair Overeem has been removed from the GLORY rankings and his fight again Badr Hari is ruled a “No Contest” due to a violation of GLORY’s anti-doping rules. His suspension is for 12 months, starting at his last fight – COLLISION 4. And he must return a percentage of his wages.
The bout against Hari was Overeem’s first fight in combat sports since his departure from the UFC in early 2021. It was also his first professional kickboxing contest since stopping Peter Aerts to win the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix in Japan.
This also wasn’t the first time Overeem has failed a drug test. Back in 2012, Overeem was expected to challenge then UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos at UFC 146, but was flagged for an elevated testosterone ratio that exceeded 10-to-1 – well over the 6-to-1 limit. Overeem was pulled from the title fight and replaced by Frank Mir.
Alistair Overeem suspended by Glory Kickboxing after failed drug test.
[autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] won’t been seen in the GLORY ring anytime soon.
The former Strikeforce champion and UFC title challenger has been issued a 12-month suspension following a failed drug test for his rubber match against long-time rival Badr Hari back in October at GLORY Collision 4 in Amhem, Netherlands.
MMA Junkie verified the news with a GLORY official on Tuesday after it was first reported by Vechtsport Info.
In their third meeting, Overeem defeated Hari by unanimous decision. That victory has now been overturned into a no contest following the failed drug test.
The banned substance Overeem tested positive for has no been disclosed, but GLORY officials issued the following statement:
Alistair Overeem has been removed from the GLORY rankings and his fight again Badr Hari is ruled a “No Contest” due to a violation of GLORY’s anti-doping rules. His suspension is for 12 months, starting at his last fight – COLLISION 4. And he must return a percentage of his wages.
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The bout against Hari was Overeem’s first fight in combat sports since his departure from the UFC in early 2021. It was also his first professional kickboxing contest since stopping Peter Aerts to win the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix in Japan.
This also wasn’t the first time Overeem has failed a drug test. Back in 2012, Overeem was expected to challenge then UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos at UFC 146, but was flagged for an elevated testosterone ratio that exceeded 10-to-1 – well over the 6-to-1 limit. Overeem was pulled from the title fight and replaced by Frank Mir.
Check out which UFC veterans impressed outside of MMA competition in 2022.
Throughout the year, we have seen a number of UFC veterans compete in other combat sports across the world.
Since MMA encompasses a variety of martial arts, it is always interesting when MMA fighters who have competed on the largest stage try their hand at a specific combat sports discipline.
From bareknuckle boxing, traditional gloved boxing, to mixed rules contests, these UFC vets turned in impressive performances outside of MMA competition.
Scroll below to see who got our attention away from the cage in 2022 with impressive wins.
Check out the best photos from Alistair Overeem vs. Badr Hari 3 at Glory Collision 4.
[autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] broke a tie Saturday at GelreDome Amhem, Netherlands when he defeated [autotag]Badr Hari[/autotag] in a kickboxing trilogy match at Glory Collision 4. Check out the best photos from the event below (courtesy of Glory).
At Glory Collision 4, former UFC and MMA standout Alistair Overeem broke a 13-year-old tie against Badr Hari in his return to kickboxing.
A 13-year-old tie has been broken and the rubber match went to [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag].
Saturday at Glory Collision 4, Overeem (11-4) made a triumphant return to kickboxing after 12 years in MMA when he defeated rival [autotag]Badr Hari[/autotag] (106-17) in their third career meeting.
After two competitive rounds, Overeem exploded to knock down Hari twice in Round 3. He won a unanimous decision (29-26, 28-27, 28-27, 28-27, 28-27) at GelreDome in Amhem, Netherlands.
Both men came out aggressively. Hari utilized a more traditional stance, while Overeem was a bit unorthodox with his movement and striking angles – perhaps a bit more of an MMA approach. Hari hurt Overeem with a hard punch. Despite the thud, Overeem continued his awkward forward-heavy movement.
The second round was leg-kick heavy. More of the body kicks and high kicks came from Hari. The biggest strike of the fight up to that moment was a wicked uppercut inside by Overeem. He faked a hook and went from six o’clock to 12 o’clock instead. Hari nearly went down and while his glove may have touched, the referee did not rule it a knockdown.
As the third round progressed, Hari tired. Overeem unloaded a violent combination that floored Hari. After the count was delayed, apparently while the referee watched Overeem go to the corner, Hari rose to his feet just in time for the standing eight-count. He promptly was sat down again by Overeem. On the mat, Hari looked to his corner and asked how much time was left.
He used all of the time possible, but made it up for the eight-count. With 40 seconds left on the clock, Hari dodged Overeem strikes and landed a short punch of his own. The blow appeared to halt Overeem, at least momentarily. The two fighters traded blows for the remainder of the round.
Unknown if a fourth-round tiebreaker was coming down the pipe, corners scrambled to cool off their fighters at the sound of the final bell. It wasn’t necessary, though. The judges were not undecided and Overeem was the victor.
After the fight, Overeem called himself “the Glory champion,” which caught the attention of heavyweight titleholder Rico Verhoeven, who was on commentary. Verhoeven entered the ring to confront Overeem, who exaggeratedly “quaked” at his presence.
Their verbal spat was quickly interrupted by Hari, who took the microphone and announced to the crowd the fight likely was his last.
