Dana White's Twitter confirmed a fight that MMA fans have clamored for. Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem, who reportedly signed a UFC contract Tuesday, will take on former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar on Dec. 30.
This announcement puts many rumors to bed. First, Lesnar's battles with diverticulitis are not as dire as rumored if he can agree to a fight in December. It also confirms that Overeem, who was cut from Strikeforce because he refused a Strikeforce fight set for this weekend, is headed for the UFC. There was also rumors that the UFC would put together an event in Dubai for New Year's Eve, but a Vegas event the day before puts that into doubt.
Overeem talked about the fight to the Los Angeles Times:
"Brock is a big name, a dangerous guy, and this is a dream matchup," Overeem told The Times on Tuesday, just after signing a standard UFC fight contract in the office of Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta. "Brock's a big guy, an exciting wrestler with his takedowns.
"I want to see this fight myself. Overall, I'm a different fighter. A striker, athletic, big. These are going to be two big trucks going at it on a collision course."
He articulated the exact reasons why MMA fans should be excited for this fight. Both fighters are enormous and muscle-bound, but they don't have the same strengths. Lesnar is a better wrestler, while Overeem can hit like a freight train. (I assume, having never been hit by Overeem or a freight train.)
[Related: Overeem excited about big matchup with Lesnar]
Lesnar lost his belt to Cain Velasquez, a smaller, faster fighter who could defend Lesnar's takedowns. He hasn't fought since that bout, which took place last October, and had surgery shortly afterward due to a flareup of diverticulitis. Overeem's last fight was a bizarre decision win over Fabricio Werdum in June.
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