Alistair Overeem is contemplating a return from retirement after announcing that he was calling it a career back in 2023.
The former Strikeforce heavyweight champion and one-time UFC title challenger revealed that with his health improved, heās been working towards a potential comeback. Overeem retired after dealing with a multitude of injuries that made his training camps nearly impossible to get through and he felt like fighting was over for him.
But three years later along with a lot of recovery and Overeem believes he can still fight at the highest levels.
āThe thing is I retired three and a half years ago,ā Overeem said during the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven card. āInjuries took me out of the sport. Took me out. I couldnāt train. I was actually in pain. I dove into longevity. A lot of ice baths, a lot of dry needling, a lot of everything and actually healed my body.
āThere is motivation. Weāre just looking at options. Like what can we do, what should we do? I also just turned 46 but I feel better than when I was still fighting. Because I just did all that longevity stuff, longevity activities.ā
Overeem retired in 2023 but he hasnāt fought since 2022 when he returned to kickboxing for a showdown against Badr Hari in GLORY. Originally, Overeem won his fight by unanimous decision but the result was eventually overturned to a no-contest after he tested positive for a banned substance.
Prior to that fight, Overeem lost via knockout to Alexander Volkov in the UFC back in 2021 and that served as the fight bout in the promotion.
As far as options, Overeem didnāt hint if he was considering a return to MMA, kickboxing or even boxing but it sounds like heās open for business for the right opportunity.
Overeem did address a potential matchup against Rico Verhoeven, who nearly shocked the world this past Saturday in his fight against Oleksandr Usyk before a controversial stoppage ended the fight in the 11th round. He addressed the fight before Verhoeven nearly became heavyweight champion and Overeem had nothing but praise for the former GLORY king.
āI wouldnāt disrespect him like that,ā Overeem said about Verhoeven. āThis is his moment. Let that be. But I mean I got the question from a reporter āis there still some unfinished business?ā Listen for MMA, heās not an MMA guy. I wouldnāt even need to train because I would just beat him. For boxing, I would need a little camp.
āRico is an icon. Heās an icon, the kickboxing world is behind him, clean image, heās actually a good guy.ā
36?!?!?! I just assumed he was at least 40.
The king is back
Have him compete in the enhanced Olympics
He is 46. I think thats just a typo
good catch , i switched it
Yup May 1980 BDAY
One of the Best Fighters Ever
MVP needs to give Reem an opportunity to run it back with FRANCIS
We need Horsemeatereem
He heard netflixās mma wonāt be testing for steroids
Kickboxing would probably be the safest route. Unless his chin miraculously healed, in MMA itās 50/50 whether heās getting KOād or not. If not for that, he probably would have been unstoppable at heavyweight though.
Camera angles
heās been koād so many times, if he can still speak fluently thatās a great result. donāt push it by coming back in your mid40s. thatās insane.
Reem should head over to Rizin. Bader vs Ubereem NYE 2027?