Overeem vs. Bigfoot Set to Clash at UFC 156
Two really big former Strikeforce heavyweights are scheduled to fight on Super Bowl weekend at UFC 156 February 2nd 2013. Hopefully coming off his year-long suspension to fight will be the former Strikeforce Heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem taking on the man they call “Bigfoot”, Antonio Silva.
The two were originally supposed to meet in the semifinal round of the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix after each win their opening round bouts. Overeem though would withdraw from the tournament due to injury while Silva went on to be defeated by Overeem’s replacement Daniel Cormier.
Now both are in the UFC and the winner could find themselves in a title fight against the winner of the UFC 155 main event between champion Junior Dos Santos and the former champion Cain Velasquez.
The last time fans saw Overeem (36-11, 1NC) inside the UFC Octagon was when he destroyed the insides of Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 on December 30th, 2011. The win put Overeem in position to face Junior Dos Santos at UFC 146 in May but a failed pre-fight drug test for elevated levels of testosterone saw him removed and replaced by Frank Mir. He is eligible to reapply for a NSAC license to fight next month and apparently the UFC doesn’t see there being any problems.
Silva (17-4) is coming off a win against the previously undefeated Travis Browne at last month’s UFC on FX card. While the win was tainted by the fact Browne injured himself during the fight which limited his mobility, it was the first win for Silva in the UFC and snapped a two fight losing streak. Like his opponent though Silva has run into troubles with the athletic commission (California) and was suspended a year by the CSAC after testing positive for the anabolic steroid Boldenone following his win over Justin Eliers that won him the ELITEXC heavyweight title.
With the two heavyweight’s past there would seem to be a higher than normal probability that this fight doesn’t happen at UFC 156 but until otherwise noted, “GAME ON”.
UFC 156 is expected to be headlined by Featherweight champion Jose Aldo, defending his title against former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar.
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