Report: Alistair Overeem to Make Return at UFC 164
By Bleachersreport on May 13, 2013
Prominent UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem is set to return at UFC 164 in August, according to a report by MMAJunkie.com.
There has been no word as to who the Dutch striker will be pitted against in his Octagon return. A desirable scenario would be Overeem facing the winner of UFC 160's Junior Dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt. After all, Overeem was originally supposed to face Dos Santos at that event but had to withdraw due to injury.
Or perhaps Overeem will face Daniel Cormier? What about the resurgent Roy "Big Country" Nelson?
Unfortunately, such interesting matchups don't appear to be in Overeem's future.
Dos Santos has been promised a title shot if he beats Hunt. In addition, UFC president Dana White and UFC matchmaker Joe Silva both expressed their desire to see Nelson fight Daniel Cormier, or perhaps even Mark Hunt.
But maybe a lesser opponent might be wise for an Overeem coming off a devastating knockout loss. A fighter like Travis Browne comes to mind as a possible “safer” opponent for Overeem. Browne is a talented individual yet one that might not be as much of a threat to the former K-1 champ as some of the division’s top dogs.
Even with a win in his next fight (no matter who it’s against), Overeem still has a lot of work to do in order to regain his credibility.
After dispatching Brock Lesnar with ease (and almost a tinge of boredom), the fighter seemed destined to walk through the UFC heavyweight division en route to the title.
Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva destroyed this belief with a stunning third-round knockout.
Come this August, Overeem will have a chance to pick up the pieces and get his UFC career back on track.
The Overeem hype train is back on the rails—and in spectacular fashion if he's facing an "in the mix" opponent.