TITLE DREAM’S NOT OVER YET
ALISTAIR OVEREEM is still hell bent on winning the heavyweight title before he hangs up his gloves.
The fans’ favourite returns to the octagon early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC on ESPN 7 in Washington DC, where he will lock horns with the undefeated Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Dutchman Overeem is on the brink of landing a second crack at the heavyweight crown following back-to-back first-round TKO victories over Sergei Pavlovich and Alexey Oleinik. And he hopes to secure another shot at the 265lb title with an impressive win over Suriname slugger Rozenstruik, 31.
“I have my own goals, of course – UFC gold,” he said.
“To win the title would be a great close on my career.”
Overeem, 39, came up short in his bid to win the heavyweight title in September 2016, suffering a first-round TKO loss to reigning champion Stipe
Miocic. Defeat to the American lit a fire under the former Strikeforce and Dream heavyweight champion who said: “What motivates me is I love to train. I love to improve.
“To win the title would be a great way to close my career.”
Despite being in the twilight of his hall-of-fame career, Overeem’s passion for mixed martial arts is the highest it has ever been.
He added: “My career, in particular, has been a long adventure.
“I think I was built for it. I’ve been all over the world. I’ve fought in 89 fights, kickboxing and MMA. I’m just doing my thing. I’m following my passion.
“It’s been a great adventure and I’m still going strong.”
Rozenstruik enters his first main event bout on the back of a devastating 29-second knockout victory over former heavyweight king Andrei Arlovski.
He has the utmost respect for Overeem but doesn’t plan on showing him any after the cage door closes.
“He’s in my division and I think this is my division,” said Rozenstruik. “So anyone who stands in front of me has to go.”