Alistair Overeem is an absolute legend and has nothing else to prove in MMA, but he has an upcoming bout that can potentially put him in discussions for a title shot. In Overeem’s past five fights, he is 3-2 and ranked sixth in the UFC heavyweight promotion after coming off a big win against Walt Harris. I believe if he wins his fight against Augusto Sakai, he will be in the talks for a higher ranking opponent that would allow him to continue his path of domination in the heavyweight division. However, if Overeem loses his fight against Sakai, it could possibly be the last time we see Overeem step into the Octagon.
Sakai is on a six-fight win streak and is ranked ninth, but he has not faced the likes of Overeem. With a 15-1 record, Sakai has less to lose in this fight because he is much younger by a decade. Even if he loses, it will still be easy to get over it as Overeem is a proven top tier veteran. However, a win over Overeem will move him up three spots in the ranking and he will be sitting under the top five heavyweights in the world. If Sakai also beats a legend like Overeem, it will steer his career to stardom.
The fight will either pave the way for another run towards a title shot for Overeem or see him hang up the gloves. It can also be stardom for Sakai or just be a bump in the road that he must overcome. Stay tuned for future updates.
BIASMMA 