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Cagewriter - UFC

Cagewriter

Tue Sep 06 03:54pm EDT

Reinforce the Octagon: Lesnar vs. Overeem set for Dec. 30

By Maggie Hendricks

Dana White's Twitter confirmed a fight that MMA fans have clamored for. Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem, who reportedly signed a UFC contract Tuesday, will take on former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar on Dec. 30.

Reinforce the Octagon: Lesnar vs. Overeem set for Dec. 30

This announcement puts many rumors to bed. First, Lesnar's battles with diverticulitis are not as dire as rumored if he can agree to a fight in December. It also confirms that Overeem, who was cut from Strikeforce because he refused a Strikeforce fight set for this weekend, is headed for the UFC. There was also rumors that the UFC would put together an event in Dubai for New Year's Eve, but a Vegas event the day before puts that into doubt.

Overeem talked about the fight to the Los Angeles Times:

"Brock is a big name, a dangerous guy, and this is a dream matchup," Overeem told The Times on Tuesday, just after signing a standard UFC fight contract in the office of Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta. "Brock's a big guy, an exciting wrestler with his takedowns.

"I want to see this fight myself. Overall, I'm a different fighter. A striker, athletic, big. These are going to be two big trucks going at it on a collision course."

He articulated the exact reasons why MMA fans should be excited for this fight. Both fighters are enormous and muscle-bound, but they don't have the same strengths. Lesnar is a better wrestler, while Overeem can hit like a freight train. (I assume, having never been hit by Overeem or a freight train.)

[Related: Overeem excited about big matchup with Lesnar]

Lesnar lost his belt to Cain Velasquez, a smaller, faster fighter who could defend Lesnar's takedowns. He hasn't fought since that bout, which took place last October, and had surgery shortly afterward due to a flareup of diverticulitis. Overeem's last fight was a bizarre decision win over Fabricio Werdum in June.

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