Andrei Arlovski: Overeem Injures Everyone He Trains With
According to “The Pit Bull”, “The Demolition Man” is literally trying to demolish his training partners.
UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem has developed a bad reputation for hurting his sparring partners over the last year after multiple fighters have emerged with injuries after training with the Dutch national.
“The Reem” left the Blackzillian camp earlier this year after it was claimed he intentionally hurt teammate Guto Inocente in training. That was all washed under the rug when he became a member of Jackson’s MMA but it was reignited at the start of the month when it was revealed he had also injured Jon Jones in a sparring session; forcing him out of his planned headliner against Daniel Cormier at UFC 178.
Greg Jackson quickly came to the former K-1 world champions aid, saying the injury to Jones was unintentional and “part of the game””. That seemed to have cooled things down for Overeem but it looks like it’s about to heat up again.
In a recent interview with Sports.ru, former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski revealed he was also hurt by Overeem in training which nearly forced him out of his planned bout against Antonio Silva:
“I do not like to wash dirty linen in public, but in these words there is a weighty truth,” Arlovski said. (via bloodyelbow.com) “A few days ago I was sparring with Alistair Overeem and experienced firsthand how it can end. As usual sparring goes: men represent strikes, touch each other, but do not tend to cause real damage to the partner. During one of the highlights of our sparring Overeem hit me with the hardest knee kick in the stomach. In a real fight would turn out for me by knockout.
After that, I immediately went to the hospital to make sure that my ribs were not broken. Thank God, everything turned out OK, although at first we were afraid that my fight with Bigfoot would be cancelled. It was so unexpected and so unpleasant that at first I even wanted to take revenge on him, at least hit him with his elbow. But my boxing coach, Andrei Ivchuk, turned around and reassured me. ‘Do not be like the people who allow themselves to such dirty tricks – he said. – No need to stoop to their level.’ As you can see, a competent coach – this is very important.
Now I know that Overeem injured Jon Jones simply because he injures everyone with whom trains.”
If that’s the case it raises some serious questions about the former Strikeforce champion. Prior to joining Jacksons he was warned any foul play would not be tolerated.
If he doesn’t change his ways he could find himself looking for yet another camp to join.
