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REPORT: Alistair Overeem vs. Rico Verhoeven set for mixed rules trilogy

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REPORT: Alistair Overeem vs. Rico Verhoeven set for mixed rules trilogy

Former UFC heavyweight title challenger Alistair Overeem is reportedly set to face former GLORY superstar Rico Verhoeven later this year.

Kickboxing legends Alistair Overeem and Rico Verhoeven were set to face off in GLORY Kickboxing in 2021, before a bout between them fell apart after Overeem suffered an injury. Five years later, talks of a matchup between the Dutch giants seem to be ramping up.

Verhoeven seemed destined for a potential rematch against boxing heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk after a closely contested fight earlier this year. After parting ways with GLORY, Verhoeven has attracted the attention of the UFC and several boxing promoters.

As for Overeem, he retired from combat sports after a no-contest against Badr Hari at Glory Collision 4. But Overeem has reignited comeback talks in recent months, especially after Verhoeven turned down an offer to fight in the UFC Octagon.

According to several reports, Overeem and Verhoeven are in ongoing negotiations to square off in a unique trilogy.

Alistair Overeem, Rico Verhoeven in talks for three-fight series

Black Book PR, Overeem's representation, recently teased a looming fight announcement. Boxing publication Boxing.Media recently reported that Verhoeven and Overeem are in talks to compete in a boxing match at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam.

A key part of the report states the two sides are also in talks to fight in Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing in separate bouts after their targeted boxing match. As of this writing, Overeem and Verhoeven haven't announced anything regarding a potential fight.

Overeem and Verhoeven are considered two of the most decorated kickboxers of all-time. Verhoeven holds a 66-10 kickboxing record with 21 knockouts.

Before making the full-time move to Mixed Martial Arts, Overeem made a name for himself in K-1, earning wins over the likes of Tyron Spong and Gokhan Saki. He parted ways with the UFC after a loss to Alexander Volkov in February 2021.

Are you surprised by Alistair Overeem's comeback? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM


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MMA

Jorge Masvidal teases ‘big news’ as UFC return talks heat up

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Jorge Masvidal teases ‘big news’ as UFC return talks heat up
Jorge
Masvidal is teasing some “big news†about a potential return to
the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Masvidal recently revealed that he is in talks with the UFC about a
return to the Octagon. “Gamebred†claims negotiations are
progressing positively, with the possibility of a major
announcement soon. The former BMF champ is eyeing a return by the
end of this year or early next year.

Masvidal says negotiations with the UFC are getting closer as
he eyes a fight with Leon Edwards

Masvidal is waiting for the right opponent and payday to be
negotiated for his return. He expressed interest in a matchup
against Leon
Edwards to settle their old rivalry.

“I've been talking to the UFC,†Masvidal told MMA Junkie. “Could be
this year, could be early next year. We've been talking for a
little bit and the numbers are getting closer and closer and better
and better. So, there might be some big news coming soon… Once we
get the right name and the right number attached to that, you'll
see your boy right back here at the T-Mobile Arena. Leon is
definitely somebody that I would like to get back in with and just
close that chapter out.â€

While Masvidal never tasted UFC gold, he remains a fan favorite.
His five-second flying knee knockout of Ben Askren in
2019 remains the fastest knockout in UFC history.

Masvidal's beef with Edwards started shortly before that knockout.
He put Darren Till
to sleep in a huge upset in London, and when he was doing a
post-fight interview backstage, Edwards called him out. Masvidal
calmly walked towards Edwards and blasted him with a four-punch
combo that had “Rocky†bleeding.


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Roman Dolidze on 3rd straight UFC loss: ‘I did not lose my dignity’

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Roman Dolidze on 3rd straight UFC loss: ‘I did not lose my dignity’
Roman
Dolidze is taking his loss to Reinier
de Ridder well.

Dolidze moved back up to the
Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight division to
take on Reinier
de Ridder (22-4) at
UFC Sacramento. Dolidze shot for a takedown in the opening
seconds, but de Ridder got the better of the Georgian in the
wrestling exchange. The former One
Championship titleholder then established top control and
landed unanswered ground-and-pound to secure a stoppage in the
opening round.

Dolidze accepts criticism after his first-round loss to Reinier
de Ridder at UFC Sacramento

Dolidze has since released a statement addressing his loss to de
Ridder. He is ready to admit that he let down his fans, especially
from his home country, and acknowledges that failure is a part of
the game.

“Hello. I know you are anxious — I was anxious too,†Dolidze wrote
on Instagram. “But there is one thing I want to tell you: Failure
is nothing to be ashamed of. I know today's battle didn't go well.
I know many had different expectations of me, and I may have let
you down. I am neither afraid to admit this nor do I shy away from
it. I fight on behalf of Georgia, and when I win, your joy is my
joy too. But when I lose—that, too, is part of the sport. No one
enters the UFC with a guaranteed victory; every time, you face
someone who is trying to defeat you.â€

Dolidze is even ready to accept criticism and advice about his
performance.

“You may criticize my fight,†he added. “You might say I made the
wrong decisions or should have performed better; as an athlete, I
accept this and will analyze it. I lost the fight. I did not lose
my country, my dignity, or my path. See you in Georgia on Sept.
19.â€

This was Dolidze's (15-6) third straight defeat. Meanwhile, de
Ridder rebounded from back-to-back losses at middleweight with the
win over Dolidze.

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UFC debutant admits he had no idea how to defend submission: ‘What defense?’

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UFC debutant admits he had no idea how to defend submission: ‘What defense?’
Anthony
Wint survived a kimura in his
Ultimate Fighting Championship debut without knowing how to
defend it.

Wint (8-0) made his UFC debut against fellow Octagon debutant
Terrance
Chatman at
UFC Sacramento. A massive favorite going into the fight, Wint
didn't find a takedown as easily as expected. When he finally took
the fight to the ground, Chatman attempted a kimura from bottom.
Wint managed to wrench his hand out of the kimura and choke Chatman
out cold with an arm-triangle late in the first round.

Anthony Wint survived Terrance Chatman's kimura before scoring
a first-round submission at UFC Sacramento

Wint subsequently admitted that he has no idea how to defend a
kimura. “Bow Down†just decided to tough it out against Chatman,
even risking breaking his arm. However, Wint vows to work on his
skills harder, now that he doesn't have to compromise with his time
in training.

“What defense? I didn't know what I was doing,†Wint told Full Send
MMA. “I just said, ‘You're gonna keep cranking it and I'm not gonna
tap. Or you're gonna break my arm.' We got a great coach in
Herbert
Burns. We're gonna work on leg locks and stuff. Because now I
don't have to work. The heavyweight division is in trouble. Because
before, I was training, working and going back to training. Now I
can just train all day.â€

Wint has finished seven of his eight career wins so far. The former
New York Jets linebacker made an 11-day turnaround for his UFC
debut after earning his contract on
Dana White's Contender Series with a 34-second stoppage
win.

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