Dana White says Alistair Overeem could get title shot upon return

Alistair Overeem will likely be next in line for a crack at the UFC heavyweight title despite not being in action for nearly a year.

UFC President Dana White spoke on Overeem’s return fight to MMAFighting. “Yes, that’s what we’re thinking,” White said after UFC 153 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “We’ll see how this thing plays out and what happens. Nothing is done. Nothing is etched in stone, but that’s what I’d like to see happen.”

With the heavyweight division thinning out and Overeem having already been the #1 contender after his TKO stoppage of Brock Lesnar last December, Overeem remains first in line depsite being failing a pre-fight drug test prior to his UFC 146 showdown with Junior Dos Santos. Overeem was subsequently suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a nine month period back in March after having elevated levels of testosterone. He’s set to reapply for his Nevada license in December. 

Although he has not seen the inside of the Octagon in almost a year, White has felt strongly about Overeem getting a shot at the title. There was talk of a Dos Santos-Overeem taking place on December 29 at one point if Overeem could have his hearing in front of the NSAC early,but that wouldn’t be the case and the company moved forward with Dos Santos-Velasquez 2.