Alistair Overeem is Focused on Getting Back on Track Against Travis Browne at UFC Fight Night 26
UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem hopes to rebound from a knockout loss to Antonio Silva at UFC 156 when he faces Travis Browne on Aug. 17 at UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston.
The former Strikeforce heavyweight titleholder made his UFC debut at UFC 141, defeating Brock Lesnar by technical knockout. He was scheduled to face then-champion Junior dos Santos at UFC 146, but tested positive to elevated levels of testosterone during a pre-licensing drug test by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
The 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix champion’s application for a license was put on hold for nine months. He returned at UFC 156 against Silva in a top contender’s bout. Since the loss, Overeem has been focused on improvement.
“I’ve just been really focused on my own development. I was recovering from an injury and getting back on track. I made a lot of changes in the camp and the preparation and the whole process,” Overeem said during a media conference call on Monday. “I’ve just been focused on myself and, for me, it’s important to get that win. I put 100-percent effort into that, into my preparation.”
Having had two title shots slip away, Overeem’s not sure whether a win over Browne would put him back in the championship hunt.
“It’s up to the gentlemen at the UFC to decide what they’re going to do next,” he said. “I’m not really thinking about all that stuff. I’m just focused on my own thing, which is getting back on track, getting the workouts in.”
Overeem isn’t looking to what will come next. All of his attention is concentrated on defeating Browne.
“I’ve just been focused on my thing. I’m not really focused on what other people think of me, or what’s going to happen after this fight, or who I’ll fight after. I’ve just been focused on my own thing and getting back on track,” he said.
UFC Fight Night 26 takes place at TD Garden in Boston and is headlined by a light heavyweight match-up between former titleholder Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Chael Sonnen.
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