Alistair Overeem Sees Heavyweight Title In Range Before UFC 185

With three knockout losses in four fights following his UFC Fight Night 50 defeat to Ben Rothwell, former Strikeforce and DREAM heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem was largely deemed one of the hugest busts in UFC history after coming to the promotion with a massive amount of hype for his UFC 141 win over Brock Lesnar.

Many were calling for “The Reem” to retire, stating that he didn’t have the chin to contend with this era of bruising UFC heavyweights. But proving just how fast the MMA game can change, Overeem rebounded with a first round knockout of the returning Stefan Struve at last December’s UFC on FOX 13, which gave him wins in two out of his past three.

The hulking kickboxer soon signed on for another quick turnaround to face fellow slugger Roy “Big Country” Nelson on the main card of this Saturday’s (March 14, 2015) UFC 185 from Dallas, Texas. A win over Struve, who came back after nearly two years off due to a heart condition, doesn’t exactly make him title-worthy, but Overeem told UFC.com that he believes this fight will be a defining moment for him.

“The result will come out after this fight. We’re continuing on the same recipe. We’ve added some elements for success, so we’ll see what this fight brings. I can tell you I’m very excited – I feel very ready and I’m very excited to fight Roy Nelson and show my skill. I feel very confident about it and very good about it.”

Overeem obviously wants another knockout to keep his momentum rolling, but he’s been in the game for long enough to know that it can’t be forced, especially against a fighter possessing an iron chin like “Big Country.” Overall Overeem has the mindset of taking what his opponent gives him heading into this weekend.

“If the knockout is there, it’s going to be there. I’m a fighter that naturally wants to knock my opponent out – the will is there, but it takes two to tango. You watch tape, you study, you see where the holes are, where the opportunities are at and sometimes it’s there, sometimes it’s not.”

Owning nearly 16 years of experience in MMA, Overeem thinks he has one last UFC title run left in him. To him, the only way to attain that ultimate goal is to stay highly active, as he has been. That’s why he’s going to get back to training and request another fight soon after his fight with Nelson.

“And for me, I like to stay active,” he continues. “I still have a couple more years to go and I definitely see the UFC title in range, but that means I’ve got to stay focused and I’ve got to stay active. That UFC title is the biggest accomplishment and will be the crown of my career, so I’ve set my goals and sacrifice comes with that. I’m here, I’m ready to go and after this fight, I’ll hit the gym again and request to fight again soon.”

At nearly 35 years old, “The Reem” could be nearing the twilight of his decorated career. Thankfully he’s fighting in arguably the most contender-starved division in UFC, meaning that he could only be two or three high-level knockouts away from a coveted title shot.

He’ll just have to stay conscious long enough to get there.

Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports