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Overeem Talks US Return
By: Jake Rossen
Absent from the states since summer 2007, Alistair Overeem seems to always find a way to muck plans for re-entry: a club bathroom brawl led to a hand infection in the spring, which led to a re-infection over the summer and a canceled check for a fight with Fabricio Werdum. Now Overeem tells MiddleEasy.com that his hand is healed and he’s ready to be stationed -- not that he was never officially obligated to return any sooner.
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“My contract with Strikeforce was only made about three months before the [street fighting] incident, I think they let me fight against [Vitor] Belfort and Paul [Buentello] to lose, but I won,” Overeem said. “Normally in a contract it says you have to defend your title within a certain period. But my contract just ended there. As I had a long term contract with FEG, I kept fighting for Dream and K-1. It's ironic that we finally got an offer from Strikeforce and reached an agreement, and I get in some stupid brawl and cut my hand. In jail it got infected and it took longer than expected.”
Overeem went on to say he’ll be ready for either Brett Rogers or Fedor Emelianenko. Toilet or no toilet. -
Werdum/Overeem Line Up Return Engagement for Strikeforce on Aug. 15
By: Jake Rossen
In what has to be a first for a major promotion, Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem is set to defend a vaunted heavyweight title Aug. 15 on the undercard -- not the main event -- of the Cristiane Santos/Gina Carano-headlined Showtime telecast. His opponent will be Fabricio Werdum, who defeated Overeem via submission in 2006.
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If Overeem feels slighted, he’s in good company: Carano/Santos is also trumping title matches between Josh Thomson/Gilbert Melendez and a possible belt for the winner of a Nick Diaz/Joe Riggs rematch. (If you’re wondering what Joe Riggs has done to possibly earn title contention of any sort, I’m with you.)
Purists are flinching at the fight order, but it’s fairly obvious that Carano/Santos is of more interest to casual outlets and fans than any of the other bouts. It’s also the only one that’s benefited from free broadcast television hype that started humming nearly a year ago. That means viewers: Undercard fighters should probably be happy they can enjoy the residual attention.
