Alistair Overeem To Defend Strikeforce Title in 2009
Alistair Overeem
Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem will defend his title for the first time in 2009, according to an interview with Strikeforce executive Mike Afromowitz on MMA Weekly radio.
“We’re looking to get him back pretty soon. I’d say more likely than not, you’re going to see him defend his title this year,” said Afromowitz.
The top contender vying for a shot at the belt is likely to be the winner of Saturdays heavyweight showdown between Brett Rogers and Ron “Abongo” Humphrey, though only time will tell who will get the first crack at Overeem when he returns to MMA from his recent stint in K-1.
Overeem (29-11) became Strikeforce’s first heavyweight title-holder with a second round submission due to strikes of Paul Buentello in late-2007. Since winning the championship he’s won three-straight MMA fights (plus a no contest against Mirko Cro Cop) and has gone 1-1 in K-1 matches but has not yet stepped back into the cage for Strikeforce.
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Tags: Alistair Overeem
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Ok Strikeforce… so you’ve got your “Interim title” fight going on Saturday, for no apparent reason, and yet all you can say about Overeem defending his title is that he is “more likely than not,” going to do so?!
Interim titles are dumb anyways, but I think that it should go without saying that Strikeforce is looking to get Overeem to defend his belt. Why do they feel the need to tell us that?
Haha over all a pointless article to read…
I bet it’ll be an end of the year card, making it over 2 years without a defense.
overeem by decapitation…
It’s about time he defends the title.
Its not like StrikeForce has many fighters in its HW division guys, what they have Paul Buentello and now a few others, but perhaps Rodgers can win and then move forward to getting his first loss via getting destroyed by Overeem, ie StrikeForce’s HW division is the weakest I’ve ever seen and is damn near nothing… But hey hopefully they can build a good division once Affliction folds………..
rogers had effective knees- lmost nauseating they obliterated the last guy who wa tough as nails. overeen may have more finesse and history in a thai clinch situation but he may actually have safer fight on the ground. it could be one of those situations where 2 deadly hard hitters have to win on the ground. i’ll watch for sure anyway.