Alistair Overeem debuted in the UFC with plenty of hype, but it has taken some time for him to reach his full potential.
[DraftKings: Build your ultimate fantasy MMA team today!.]
It's safe to say he's closing in on it now.
Showing zero signs of exhaustion ? something that has plagued the kickboxer in year's past ? Overeem applied a vicious onslaught for the majority of a 15-minute affair with Roy "Big Country" Nelson in a dominant decision win at UFC 185.
From the opening bell, Overeem took the reigns and applied the pressure. He stalked his opponent and quickly unleashed a flying knee to the face of Nelson.
Overeem followed with leg kicks and an absurd welt developed around Nelson's waist.
The entire fight was fairly one sided, with Overeem using a mix of kicks, knees and punches to keep Nelson at a distance.
That is, until the final seconds, when Nelson clipped Overeem with a looping right hook that sent him reeling onto his backside. Nelson tried to follow up, but the clock had expired.
"Definitely not," replied Overeem when asked by UFC announcer Joe Rogan if Nelson's late-round wallop had him on the verge of quitting.
"I had no eight count. I was not dizzy. It's just a hit. I get hit like this in the gym ?." He paused, "well, not that much but it happens."
"He hits very hard. And he hits you when you're out of balance. So, I had to be on my toes."
After becoming the Strikeforce heavyweight champion and K-1 Grand Prix kickboxing champion, "The Reem" arrived in 2011 at UFC 141, crushing Brock Lesnar with a first-round knockout.
Since that statement win, it's been a mixed bag of sorts for the 34-year-old Dutchman. Overeem went 2-3 over his next five fights after dispatching of "The Beast" and many wondered if the once great heavyweight prospect would live up to his potential.
Overeem now has back-to-back wins for the first time in his UFC career and he is looking to build on the momentum. In fact, he's pretty sure that UFC gold is right around the corner.
"Listen, I'm not done yet," he said. "I'm 34 years old; I'm coming for that belt. Werdum or Cain: I'm coming bros."
�
Spencer Fisher Jon Fitch Kenny Florian Jesse Forbes Xavier Foupa Pokam
No comments:
Post a Comment