Overeem signs for UFC! First opponent none other than...

Brock Lesnar!!!

Now Dana doesn't rate Overeem as a top 10 MMA heavyweight so is he being thrown in at the deep end with Brock, or has Brock become a gatekeeper and Dana thinks Overeem will do to Lesnar what Velasquez did? Dana has publically stated for Overeem to be considered a top 10 heavyweight he needs to fight and beat other top 10 heavyweights in the UFC. So is Dana trying to prove a point to the world by matching him against Brock in his UFC debut? Or has Brock's estimation slipped in Dana's eyes and he wants to give Overeem a debut that he has a strong chance of winning? Overeem is a potentially huge draw for the UFC and another marquee name for the PPV card, I'm sure Dana is happy to have him on his books. Personally I think Overeem will beat Lesnar; I'm not sure whether Brock will have improved enough to beat an excellent (and world class) Kickboxer. Brock has come undone against better strikers so I can't see him standing and trading with Overeem.

Great news, can't wait for this one.

Well they're not doing Brock Lesnar any favours for his comeback fight!

I read that the winner of Lesnar/Overeem gets a title shot against the winner of Velasquez/Dos Santos, so either way it's a win-win for the UFC.

Great, great news!!!

So I guess all this nonsense about The Reem getting kicked out of the Strikeforce tournament was just a smoke screen.

Dana and Overeem have apparently always had a good relationship but he never rated him a Top 10 guy purely because he wasn't in the UFC.

If a fighter isn't in the UFC I would never pay any attention to what he says about them. If Overeem wins, Dana will suddenly be all over him!

I'd favour Overeem every time but with two huge HW's anything can happen!

I really do want to say Overeem has it in the bag as he really is head and shoulders above Lesnar with his skills, but that small part of me is nagging away saying not count lesnar out as he is a very driven individual.

Will confess not up to date on all of Reems fights but presume he hasnt ever fought someone of brock's freakish size, and remeber he did take a pasting from carwin and came through so i wont say it is as one sided as it looks. So am going to stick my head out and say brock comeback win.

Great fight - this has the potential to be one of the biggest PPV's in UFC history (i sound like Joe Rogan now!)

Overeem all day long for me - although i like Brock i think he is gonna get TKO'd in this one.

You can never rule out a world class wrestler. Especially when he is up against a fighter who's biggest hole in their game is wrestling, but the reem should do this. I really hope so anyway. Once Overeem lands one good shot I think we'll see Brock crumble.

easthfc wrote:You can never rule out a world class wrestler. Especially when he is up against a fighter who's biggest hole in their game is wrestling, but the reem should do this. I really hope so anyway. Once Overeem lands one good shot I think we'll see Brock crumble.

Agreed. Brocks mistake against Cain was the he went Gung Ho straight from the start and used up alot of nervous engergy. I think he was scared of Cain coming into this as he wouldnt be able to take Cain down with ease as with other opponants.

I think the Reem will destroy him thou. Brock will be discouraged with the first significant blow and cower into submission

boomdangle wrote:I really do want to say Overeem has it in the bag as he really is head and shoulders above Lesnar with his skills, but that small part of me is nagging away saying not count lesnar out as he is a very driven individual.

Will confess not up to date on all of Reems fights but presume he hasnt ever fought someone of brock's freakish size, and remeber he did take a pasting from carwin and came through so i wont say it is as one sided as it looks. So am going to stick my head out and say brock comeback win.

I know exactly what you mean. Overeem is miles ahead in skill than Lesnar but Lesnar being the monster than he is as well as an elite wrestler always has a chance.

I'm still backing Reem to win but wouldn't be shocked to see Lesnar win.

I'm sure it'll be a main card event so will be a 5 rounder. Cardio for both could be an issue in this fight.

I'd love to see Overeem win and then take on the winner of Cain and JDS, what a fight that'll be!

[quote="Valero's Conscience"]

boomdangle wrote: Cardio for both could be an issue in this fight.

I think ultimately that Cardio is going to be the main factor in this fight. Lesnar hasnt fought since Oct 2010 when he lost to Cain, but yet he has not showed any real cardio issues before (he has shown massive issues with getting punched in the face however), Overeem though has gassed many times and didnt look very impressive in his last fight against Fabricio Werdum in the opening round of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix.

This is a really tough fight to call, If Lesnar can with stand Overeem's striking in the 1st maybe 2nd round then get him to the ground then I can see him taking this via GnP (ala Carwin)

Brock is so slow, Overeem could stand still in a defensive pose for 2 rounds and still end up winning, easy win, this one.

theundisputedY2D2 wrote:Well they're not doing Brock Lesnar any favours for his comeback fight!

I read that the winner of Lesnar/Overeem gets a title shot against the winner of Velasquez/Dos Santos, so either way it's a win-win for the UFC.

I don't understand this. So Dana claims Overeem isn't a top 10 MMA heavyweight and has to fight and beat top 10 heavyweights in the UFC in order to be ranked, but if he wins one fight (albeit it against Lesnar) he becomes the No1 contender!?! How does the UFC ranking system work? Where does Lesnar stand in the rankings? What happened to Mir's shout at the title?

talkingpoint wrote:

theundisputedY2D2 wrote:Well they're not doing Brock Lesnar any favours for his comeback fight!

I read that the winner of Lesnar/Overeem gets a title shot against the winner of Velasquez/Dos Santos, so either way it's a win-win for the UFC.

I don't understand this. So Dana claims Overeem isn't a top 10 MMA heavyweight and has to fight and beat top 10 heavyweights in the UFC in order to be ranked, but if he wins one fight (albeit it against Lesnar) he becomes the No1 contender!?! How does the UFC ranking system work? Where does Lesnar stand in the rankings? What happened to Mir's shout at the title?

In fairness the UFC have form with this. Jake Shields only had to fight one fight in the UFC before he got his title shot and I guess the same would apply to Overeem. He is / was after all the last Strikeforce HW champ and Nick Diaz is coming over from Strikeforce and gets a title shot straight away. Although the deal never happened I understand that had Fador ever signed with the UFC he would have got an instant title shot or 1 fight 1 win then a shot straight away at the title

Dana always talks down fighters who aren’t in the UFC but when they sign that’s a different matter. One rule for you and one rule for someone else. Overeem though IMO if he beats Lesnar does deserve a title shot though.

I actually think Dana is justified in some of the comments he makes - take Fador for example. Fador has effectively ducked the UFC's top heavyweights by refusing to sign for the promotion. And Dana's comment about Overeem wasn't that he wasn't a world class fighter - I think he would readily admit he's one of the best kickboxers in the world. Nevertheless now Overeem is in the UFC they've added even more marquee power to their cards. The wealth of talent in the UFC is now quite remarkable.

Annoyingly Dana is proved right over the long run quite a lot of the time, which just makes his big head, massive!

I remember when the HW division in the UFC was so bad that Randy Couture were pawing these "giants" but now the HW division is as stacked as any other division in the UFC, I'd say bar the 135lbs division there is no weak area in the UFC anymore.

I would like however the UFC to maybe do some tornement style competitions that Bellator currently do, I think that set-up is the best thing about Bellator

Fedor didnt duck the UFC, he wasnt able to sign because of his mafia held contracts that Dana woudlnt go near,. There was no way either side could come to an arrangement. Now hes a faded force its no longer an issue.

Overeem...well Danas talked him down because he wasnt on his roster but lets face it noone really rates him as a genuine top HW, although there is a dearth of star names now.

As for a matchup with Brock its great for both of them. Brock needs a big name draw to justify the pay, and a legit challenge to show hes worthy of top dog status after a long layoff. Its a lot like the Mir fights when he first came in, he has something to prove agaisnt an established name. The same is true of Overeem. Its pointless putting him up gainst a mid ranker or largely unknown fighter.

Its a match the fans are happy to see and that majkes sense commercialy and for both fighters. Technical striker against a brawling wrestler, both agressive.
As for cardio its an issue for any HW. Brock used to be superbly fit but hes a big guy and all his illness problems who knows now.

I rate Overeem as a top 3 HW myself.

I currently rate him Top 3 as well however the real test will be Lesnar to truly gauge him

Lesnars cardio will be down to how well he recovers from his surgery and illness but hes spent his life competing and getting in shape so I cant seeing it being a big factor for him

Many people have come into UFC for the 1st time and not been able to adjust straight away could it happen to Overeem?

Personally I don't think Cardio is the issue - it's how well he's improved his defence. If he can withstand Overeem's offence he is strong enough to TKO Overeem, but if he just turtles up again it won't last beyond a couple of rounds.