Overeem Calls for MMA Match with Hari at Dynamite
by Fraser Coffeen on Dec 6, 2009 10:13 PM EST
in K-1
15 comments
We'll have much more follow-up to this weekend's Grand Prix all week, but some news coming out of the post-fight press conferences is particularly interesting.
FEG President Tanigawa spoke on Dynamite and how the GP fighters might be involved at that event, noting that Overeem, Hari, and Schilt all may be involved on the card. Schilt could compete in either a kickboxing match, or an MMA rules match against a Sengoku fighter.
As for Hari and Overeem, if Overeem gets his wish, the two will have their rubber match on December 31, but this time it will be under MMA rules, as Overeem has issued the challenge to Hari. As fans may remember, the original challenge last year was for Hari and Overeem to split fights between K-1 and MMA rules, but with Overeem focusing on K-1 all year, that idea seemed to be scraped. Now, no doubt unhappy with his showing against Hari, Overeem is looking to gain revenge in his comfort zone. It's certainly an interesting idea, and would add a 3rd mega-fight to the card, though for Hari there is a lot to lose and not much to gain.
In other news from the conference, Tanigawa noted that he hopes Overeem or Schilt will have a shot to take out Fedor in the near future, and that he has his sights set on a 20% rating for Dynamite.
0 recs |
15 comments
Email
Print
Comments
Overeem knows the fight wouldn’t be any real contest. The fact that he’s pushing this so hard shows that he has no desire to fight top challengers in the American MMA scene. I’m not going to say he’s afraid to fight Fedor, but he’s certainly talked mad noise about him and when it comes to actually making the fight he’s nowhere to be seen. He’d rather fight cans and sideshows and in sports he has no place being.
Shows that eating horse 8 times a day may make you ripped, but it certainly isn’t a substitute for integrity.
by Ahhhoki on Dec 6, 2009 10:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Who are you to question Overeem’s integrity? He decided he wanted to dedicate himself to fight in K-1 this year, who are we to judge him? Maybe he gets paid better in K-1 or in Japan in general than he does in America? Maybe he just prefers fighting in a ring? Who says he is even interested in the American MMA scene? His comments about Fedor were made all of one and half months ago, and he said he wanted to fight him around April, so I don’t see how your assertion that he is somehow ducking Fedor has any merit. Come back in another five months, and then it might be valid.
by Excelsior! on Dec 7, 2009 12:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe if he showed a little bit of restraint and honesty in his business dealings. He has been yanking Strikeforce’s chain around for over a year now. This K-1 shit has gone on long enough for him when he clearly has very little to accomplish. And now that he’s been beaten TWICE, he challenges a fighter with basically no MMA experience in lieu of honoring his contract that he’s been consciously delaying and lying about his intentions publicly. And forget the Fedor bout; he should have been defending the shit against Brett Rogers before Fedor was even done with Affliction.
So yeah, I question his integrity. And that isn’t even delving into the fact that he hasn’t denied using steroids a single time. And he releases that video of him eating several times a day: so what? If you’re huge, you have to eat. So he puts that video out in some half-assed attempt to clear his name without actually saying he hasn’t done it. But that’s not really the issue here.
by Ahhhoki on Dec 7, 2009 12:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
There is no champions clause in SF’s contract; he isn’t obligated to defend the belt. As far as I’m concerned he should have been stripped of that belt a long time ago. His only losses in K-1 have been to Bonjasky and Hari (both of which are top 3, while Bonjasky is an all-time great), he hardly has “very little” to accomplish. He obviously has the talent to be a force in K-1, why not let him try? I agree that his challenge to Hari is mystifying seeing as it will either be a kickboxing match with smaller gloves or a grappling clinic put on by Overeem, in which case it wouldn’t prove anything.
The steroids are a separate subject. I don’t blame him for not answering the questions. If he had come out and said “no, I have never in my life taken steroids,” would you believe him? Those who call him Ubereem surely wouldn’t, so what does it matter? He has passed drug tests in the U.S. before, and if he fights again in Strikeforce he would have to pass another one… but even after all the passed drug tests people continue to question his physique.
by Excelsior! on Dec 7, 2009 12:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Very little to accomplish?
He was one of the top 2 or 3 prospects to win the K-1 Grand Prix title this year and, all bias aside, in the international world of combat sports the GP crown is of MUCH greater value than the Strikeforce HW title.
His history with Strikeforce has been gone over many, many times at this point, but as for Fedor, it’s worth pointing out that the fight won’t happen in April because Fedor has a hand injury, not Overeem.
HeadKickLegend.com
by Fraser Coffeen on Dec 7, 2009 6:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Despite initial reports, Fedor was not severely injured in that fight. He sprained a thumb or something.
You’re right that getting to where he did in K1 was an accomplishment in itself and I was incorreect to suggest otherwise. However, it’s not like he’s getting back on the K-1 horse after taking another loss. He challenged a K-1 fighter to an MMA fight when he has a list of MMA-related obligations that has nothing to do with fighting Hari. My main issue with all of this is that he is going to waste his time fighting someone who doesn’t have a chance (I suspect Badr isn’t even going to accept the fight, which would be wise..) just to repair his ego. He may not be contractually forced to defend the Strikeforce title within a certain time frame but he is obligated to defend it eventually. If he continues to do this, they could theoretically sue him for breach of contract but in all likelihood they will just strip him of the title until he’s ready to fight again, But just because he’s doing something within legal bounds doesn’t make him any less of a douche bag for all of this. And it’s not like I don’t enjoy watching K-1, I just don’t enjoy Overeem’s bullshit.
by Ahhhoki on Dec 7, 2009 12:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Badr
would be just an idiot if he accepts that fight in MMA rulz
by burim on Dec 7, 2009 5:30 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Totally agree. Wouldn’t even make that much sense if Badr was an MMA fighter, because in MMA they wouldn’t even be in the same weightclass.
by Daeron on Dec 7, 2009 9:34 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Overeem may have a legit chance against Fedor. Schilt? His standup is great, but how difficult will it be for Fedor to take him down?
by lhasafi on Dec 7, 2009 10:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
They fought before....
In Fedors 1st Pride fight. Fedor had no problem taking Semmy down.
"True strength is not always shown through victory. Stand up, try again and display strength of heart."
Rickson Gracie
by SherdogSux on Dec 7, 2009 10:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Correct...
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Semmy Schilt
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uwPcyf8-Xo
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU6CS8bmW4w
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhcn17G2sjY&"
by CSKit on Dec 7, 2009 11:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
he’s just butthurt he got ko’d after saying that K-1 was easy compared to MMA….nothing i loved more than seeing him not make it to the final.
Gatti. Dekkers. Pele. Aoki. Kang. Vanderlei. Basillio. Harry Greb.
by theworldsoldestsport on Dec 7, 2009 3:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Well, the thing is..
He is still basically an elite kickboxer. He is a scary superathlete when you think about it. This was his first run at the GP and he made it to the Quarterfinals and fell to arguably the second best heavyweight in the world.
Head Kick Legend
Twitter @HeadKickLegend
by D.W. on Dec 8, 2009 9:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
He should fight Hari under Thai rules, there Megareem could use his clinch game. That would be awesome, if K-1 had not changed the knee rule Megareem would be real happy.
by Kefka on Dec 9, 2009 12:42 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
Related FanShots on Head Kick Legend
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
