Overeem Says He Is Not Cut From Strikeforce, Wants an Immediate UFC Title Shot (video)

Quote :: The latest chapter in the Zuffa vs. Golden Glory discussion sounds
like good news for fans of The Reem. According to both Overeem himself
and Golden Glory head Bas Boon, Alistair Overeem has not in fact been cut from Strikeforce or stripped of the Heavyweight title.

Overeem sat down with MMA Bay to
discuss this whole situation, saying that he is in a negotiation period
with the UFC. He also added that he's ready to come to the UFC, and he
wants an immediate shot at the Heavyweight title:

I am in an exclusive negotiation period [with the UFC]. If we can
find common ground, we can work together, and if we can't, then we're
going to depart. I want to fight in the UFC. They have the best guys,
but it has to be at the right terms. So, we're just going to have to
wait and see.
...
The dream for me is to directly fight for the UFC title. I already hold the other three titles--the Strikeforce, Dream and K-1 titles. Which other title is there? This fight would make me champion of all belts. That would interest me.

Here's Josh Gross at ESPN.com explaining the current situation with Overeem:

Despite exercising its right to terminate the final fight on Alistair
Overeem's contract, Forza LLC, which operates Strikeforce and is a
subsidiary of UFC's parent company, Zuffa LLC, has not released the
Strikeforce heavyweight champion.

Bas Boon, who represents Overeem through Dutch management firm Golden
Glory, clarified to ESPN.com that the 31-year-old fighter is currently
"in a negotiation period with Zuffa." Boon declined to discuss details,
though sources familiar with the arrangement between Overeem and
Strikeforce explained the fighter is bound to exclusive and separate
120-day negotiation and matching periods with the Las Vegas-based
promoter.

Zuffa, through a representative, declined to comment on Overeem's contractual status.

Gross goes on to explain that the Silva fight would have been the
last on Overeem's current contract, and, despite Overeem being tied to a
champion's clause, negotiations to extend that contract failed. This
means that Alistair is now in this negotiation period, which could
either mean his return to Zuffa, or simply be a formality before his
official release.

Despite the positive talk from Overeem, the (former?) champion does
say he is getting mixed messages from Zuffa, and complains that they are
still not being entirely honest about their motivations behind cutting Valentijn Overeem, Jon Olav Einemo, and Marloes Coenen.
Alistair states that all four of the fighters had in fact been paid
directly by Zuffa for recent fights, so is unsure why this would
suddenly become such an issue.
Dana White dropped by the UG to comment:

We are not even close to a deal with allistar but we are working on it.

source

Heh its kinda funny to watch these Strikeforce guys trying to TELL their new employer where they fit on the ladder. Overeem saying he deserves a Title shot right off the bat? There is at least five guys already on the UFC roster who could beat him handily (Tank is still on the roster isnt he?)

According to bjpenn.com, rumor has it he's also in talks to make his debut at UFC 140. No opponent named. Reem needs to fight in the UFC if he ever wants to be known as one of the best ever.

butterknifeninja wrote:: Reem needs to win in the UFC if he ever wants to be known as one of the best ever.

fixed.

Rumor has it brock lesnar turned down a fight against reem for his return fight at ufc 140. Was posted on the ug by hammers hamil

That's a pretty rough fight after a long layoff from surgery. Even so, I'm surprised, Brock doesn't seem like the "I need a tune up fight" type...

Again thats a rumor becauze mmabay.co.uk is reporting that they will fight at ufc 140. But i heard several people mention brock wants mir and only mir again. Which would suck. Id love to see brock fight winner of nog/schaub

"I will only fight Mur!" Overeem is an insanely tough matchup for Brock... especially coming off a long layoff. I think Nog or Schaub would be a much better fight to get back in there. But it would be far far less PPV $$$ in everyones pockets.

Id say give reem carwin or big country as a welcome to the ufc. Maybe even herman or travis browne.

I dunno, I think they could market the hell out of Reem vs JDS/Velasquez as a title unifier. What happens if Overeem loses to a lesser opponent his first fight in? A lot of mainstream fans don't know him extremely well so his name alone wouldn't be a draw, especially if he's coming off a loss.

Throw him in deep water against the UFC champ and see if he's the real deal or not, that's my opinion.

butterknifeninja wrote:: Throw him in deep water against the UFC champ and see if he's the real deal or not, that's my opinion.

Couldn't agree more. Otherwise we've got another PAPER EMPEROR situation brewing. flower

Alistair Papereem!!

Overeem's last 10 fights kinda look stacked with lower level fighter, well beating Goodridge, Hunt and Buentello is hardly a tough go. Kinda looks like Fedors dance card. Worthy of a title shot.... probably not.

Chrom wrote:: "I will only fight Mur!" Overeem is an insanely tough matchup for Brock... especially coming off a long layoff. I think Nog or Schaub would be a much better fight to get back in there. But it would be far far less PPV $$$ in everyones pockets.

I like shuab and lesner.This will be a good come back match for brock and this will help to see where shaub is in the mix. He has talent but he fights over there prime fighters so it's hard to say how good he really is. Shaub and meat head could be neat too.

I think Mitrione would put Schaubs lights out! I wanna see that fight now...

Agree so many fights before the title.

I honestly would like to see Reem immediately fight for the title now that I think about it.

I'm just afraid that if Zuffa says no and asks him to fight someone else, he's gonna go to K-1 for 2 more years instead.

Cain and JDS both destroy Overeem

Carwin would KTFO him.

Lesnar wins if he gets it to the ground

He was so unimpressive in the Werdum fight, if Fabricio realized he was actually winning on the feet he could have won that fight. Overeem is supposed to be this incredibly striker yet Werdum was beating him to the punch and had him backing up, when he wasnt pulling gaurd for no reason.

Overeem needed to make a statement in the Werdum fight, as weve said before, he always blows it in the big name fights, and he didnt help his case in his last fight.

» Cain Velasquez on Brock Lesnar: Win Over Alistair Overeem Warrants Title Shot (video)
» Stann Will Not Ask for Title Shot if He Wins (video)
» Report: Overeem Released by Strikeforce