Alistair Overeem: Chronicling the Strikeforce Champion's K-1 Run of 2010

It's no secret that Alistair Overeem is set to square off against Fabricio Werdum this evening in a Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix quarterfinal. Mixed martial arts websites have given all sorts of coverage to the heavyweight bout, which is quite likely to determine the tournament favorite going forward, as well as to the individual characteristics of both Werdum and Overeem.

Talk of Alistair Overeem's kickboxing credentials have been central to the discussion, as the Dutch heavyweight was able to capture the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 title last December in dramatic fashion. While Overeem opened his kickboxing career with a 1-2 record in sparse bouts from 1999-2004, he has gone 9-2 - with seven knockouts - since returning to kickboxing in 2008.

Through 2008 and 2009, Overeem landed an unforgettable hook against Badr Hari, toppled the legendary Peter Aerts, and notched an almost troubling knockout win against Ewerton Teixeira. Truthfully, Overeem was not above faltering during this period. Wins over Aerts and Teixeira were sandwiched between losses to Remy Bonjasky and Badr Hari, which served to open and close 2009 for the Golden Glory member. Be that as it may, the brutal nature of Overeem's victories created great buzz as he returned to K-1 competition in early 2010.

As most are well aware, that return ultimately became a five fight run of dominant performances and amazing displays of power. The facts are pretty straight forward. Five wins, four knockouts. A total of seventeen minutes and fifteen seconds of ring time - the lone decision victory, over Tyrone Spong, taking more time for Overeem to secure than his other four wins combined.

For our purposes, the amount of time that Alistair Overeem spent in the K-1 ring in 2010 is key. Much as people wish to talk about his kickboxing credentials, we can go right through his five most recent kickboxing bouts in under twenty minutes. Besides, what better way to bridge the gap between this afternoon's kickboxing action at It's Showtime Madrid and the evening's Strikeforce card?

After the jump, you can find all five of Alistair Overeem's K-1 bouts from 2010. A quick breakdown accompanies each video, but watch for yourself. If you've seen the action, you already know it's worth rewatching. If for some reason you missed any of the bouts, there's no better time to catch up.

Alistair Overeem vs. Dzevad Poturak - K-1 World Grand Prix in Yokohama 2010; April 3, 2010

Returning from his December 2009 loss to Badr Hari, Alistair Overeem met Bosnian veteran kickboxer Dzevad Poturak in what was ultimately his second longest kickboxing bout of 2010 - clocking in at two minutes and forty seconds. To Poturak's credit, he tried to take the fight to Overeem early. And in truth, he landed a couple shots in there. Then Overeem started landing. Poturak was floored a little over halfway through the first round. He got back up and survived for a little while longer, eating a hook or two from Overeem before being finished by one big right knee.

Alistair Overeem vs. Ben Edwards - K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Seoul Final 16; October 2, 2010

Ben Edwards entered this bout as the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Canberra champion. He won that tournament in record time. Alistair Overeem is evidently not impressed by the fact that you can win a kickboxing tournament quicker than anyone else. While Edwards defeated his competition in Canberra in three minutes and twenty-eight seconds, it took Overeem just two minutes and eight seconds to quiet the buzz surrounding the Australian. The win put Overeem through to the K-1 World Grand Prix Final.

Alistair Overeem vs. Tyrone Spong - K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Final (Quarterfinal bout); December 11, 2010

No one can ever talk badly about Tyrone Spong. While it feels like Spong's transition to heavyweight may just now be complete, he took Overeem the distance here.The first round saw our usually scheduled break in the action to remind Overeem about the two-hand clinch rule. That was immediately followed by Spong opening up with a series of left hooks that put our eventual champion in a real precarious spot. Body shots, overhands, Spong was really doing it - then Overeem started to open up a bit. After back and forth action through the next round and a half, Overeem returned the favor for the trouble Spong had given him early. Halfway through the final round and Spong took a standing eight count after eating a series of shots while backed into a corner. Though Spong made it to the end, the standing eight count and a subsequent overhand right which sent him reeling definitley put the end result of this bout in perspective.

Alistair Overeem vs. Gokhan Saki - K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Final (Semifinal bout); December 11, 2010

So, you're Gokhan Saki. You just went through one of the most absurd tests any combat sports athlete can go through - a four round battle with Daniel Ghita - and now this destroyer is across the ring from you. What do you do? Well, throw a spinning hook kick that drops Overeem but isn't counted as a knockdown. Exactly. The only issue is that Overeem gets up and he's angry. Well, the scenario is plain enough. Gokhan Saki tried to fight him off, but Overeem eventually landed a kick on that busted arm of his and things were over in short order.

Alistair Overeem vs. Peter Aerts - K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Final (Final bout); December 11, 2010

Go back the 2009 and tell somebody that Alistair Overeem and Peter Aerts will be in the K-1 World Grand Prix Final the next year. They probably wouldn't believe you. In fact, a lot of people wouldn't have believed it at any time right up until the bout was actually set. Regardless, they made it and provided the abbreviated final stage of Overeem's 2010 kickboxing run. Peter Aerts came into the bout having just beaten Semmy Schilt. Think about that for a second, then continue reading. In the time that it took you to think "Aerts is awesome man, a guy at his age doing this sort of thing..." Overeem already backed him into a corner and finished him.