While talking with fans on his Twitter account, Fertitta said that the UFC was looking at JDS-Overeem for UFC 146 on May 26 from Las Vegas, Nevada. The Memorial Day Weekend tag would make sense considering the show’s annual standing as one of the organization’s biggest.

Dos Santos (14-1) won the heavyweight title by defeating Cain Velasquez late in 2011, scoring a first round knockout of the former undefeated champion. He has been on the sidelines since recovering from knee surgery.

Overeem (36-11) made an impact in his UFC debut, knocking out ex-champ Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 to secure the #1 position in the division. “The Reem” is a former Strikeforce heavyweight champ, along with holding titles in several other organizations, and has finished 34 of the 36 opponents he’s beaten.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

According to a police report, Overeem is alleged to have shoved a woman in her face at approximately 3:00 AM on January 2, 2012, sending her stumbling backwards. He was not arrested at the time and instead issued a citation.

Overeem will face the music in court on February 21 answer to the charges. If found guilty “The Demolition Man” could face up to a $1,000 fine and six months behind bars.

“There are two sides to this story and we intend on vigorously defending this. Alistair maintains his innocence,” said Overeem’s defense attorney in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

No official comment on the matter has issued by the UFC or Overeem himself.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Rutten’s main source of contention when it comes to picking “The Demolition Man” has to due with the durability of his chin, an issue having been called into question before given Overeem’s six TKO losses.

The former UFC champ spoke about the match-up on a recent edition of Sherdog Radio where he explained, “I think Alistair, everything he does is one single shot because he knows he’s got that glass jaw as well. He’s been knocked out quite a few times in the past, even by Chuck Liddell as well.”

“Every time when he punches, one hand is up,” Rutten continued. “He throws single shots; he doesn’t throw combinations. You saw that when he fought (Fabricio)Werdum. Werdum was actually tagging him more than he did to Werdum. I think that Junior dos Santos, with his combinations, his reach, I think he’s going to tag him and he’s going to throw combos and I think that yeah, he’s going to take this fight.”

Dos Santos has stopped eleven of the fourteen opponents he’s beaten via strikes and is seen as one of the best boxers in the heavyweight division if not #1 in that regard. No date has been set for Dos Santos-Overeem though the bout has been rumored for June in Brazil.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

“It’s going to be really, really good for the fans. Because he’s a striker, I’m a striker…it’s going to be a stand-up battle,” said Dos Santos in a conversation with USA Today.

Overeem has finished 34 of the 36 opponents he’s beaten while the 27-year old champ has done the same in twelve of fourteen wins. Adding to the intrigue, Dos Santos has won his last nine fights in comparison to Overeem’s eleven straight.

As far as Overeem’s performance against Lesnar, the humble heavyweight appeared impressed though was confused by Lesnar’s tentative approach to grappling.

“Brock seemed a little bit anxious to throw punches and kicks. That surprised me, because I thought he should have taken Alistair down and kept the fight on the ground,” explained Dos Santos.

No date is set for Overeem-Dos Santos though late spring-early summer is a realistic period for the clash to occur in. Dos Santos has expressed interest in the past in headlining a Brazilian card, and with the UFC having designs on a potential soccer stadium show in May he very well could get his wish.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

“There were some issues with Alistair training at Xtreme Couture because Randy (Couture), after he fought Brock, trained with him and signed a disclosure with them,” said Xtreme Couture striking coach Gil Martinez in conversation with Fightline. “So even though Randy isn’t at the gym, Brock’s people made it an issue so Overeem ended up not finishing his training here.”

Couture and Lesnar locked horns in a 2008 title-fight seeing the powerful 34-year old capture his lone championship. Though no specifics were given beyond Martinez’s statement, the problem seemingly related to concern internal sources at Xtreme Couture might have shared inside information on Lesnar’s abilities.

In the end it apparently made little difference, as Lesnar never made a serious attempt at taking Overeem down and was finished off midway through the opening round of their bout. The loss resulted in the former WWE Superstar’s retirement from MMA after a 5-3 mark in the sport with two consecutive strike-based stoppages at the tail end including last night’s loss.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Overeem downed former UFC champion Brock Lesnar in the main event of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem last night from Las Vegas, Nevada. “The Reem” will next face UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos in 2012, at least as far as an opponent in the Octagon goes.

Earlier this year Overeem left Golden Glory, citing problems with how his money was being handled and his fight career. During last night’s post-fight press conference Overeem found out for the first time that his purse from the bout with Lesnar was being frozen until his legal matters could be figured out.

“The suit was filed for a very simple reason. Alistair Overeem has been part of Golden Glory for eleven years. Knockout Investment has a management contract with him. The management agreement was from 2007 until 2012,” Roderick J. Lindblom, Golden Glory’s legal rep, said in a prepared statement to media. “They negotiated one of the largest MMA agreements in the history of the sport for him. And within days, he accused them of some pretty shady stuff that is not true. And he has walked away from his contract.”

Lindblom released another statement about the timing of the lawsuit, citing payment going to a fighter within 24 hours of a bout as the reason for the claim being made right before Overeem’s UFC debut.

It has been reported that Overeem may only receive about $20,000 of his $350,000+ salary from last night’s win against Lesnar until the matter has been sorted out.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

However, Overeem, who has also won titles in DREAM and K-1, doesn’t seem all that concerned with the ex-UFC heavyweight title-holder and NCAA Division 1 wrestling king. Instead, Overeem, is only worrying about what he can control – himself.

In 11 career fights in the month of December, “The Reem” sports an impressive 10-1 mark, including all five MMA wins he has took part in. While baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson is “Mr. October”, Overeem could hold the title of “Mr. December” when it comes to combat sports. The powerful Dutchman has come away with wins on New Year’s Eve weekend in 2009 and 2010, both by way of opening round knockout.

“You want to end the year good. I’ve had a lot of fights at year’s end, and I’m used to it,” said Overeem, in a recent interview with UFC’s website. “I’m actually looking forward to the fight. It might sound crazy to some people, but I’m looking forward to the fight itself, the attention, the knockout that I’m gonna make, and it’s gonna be great. I worked hard for this moment for the last four months. I’ve been dedicated, and December 30 is gonna come up and I’m looking forward to that.”

Overeem has never competed inside the UFC’s famed Octagon, while Lesnar has been out of action since late last year when he was defeated by Cain Velasquez for the UFC title. UFC 141, which returns to the familiar start time of 10:00 PM EST, takes place from Las Vegas, Nevada and features a co-main event of Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE/UFC

Now, when the two massive heavyweights step inside the Octagon on Friday night in the main event of UFC 141, fireworks will be expected and for good reason given their respective talents. The winner of Lesnar-Overeem becomes the No. 1 contender, landing themselves a shot at current UFC title-holder Junior dos Santos in 2012.

This will be Overeem’s debut in the UFC, while Lesnar is returning to action for the first time since last October, when he dropped the title to Cain Velasquez.

“This is a whole new chapter in Brock Lesnar. This is Brock Lesnar on his way back to becoming the UFC heavyweight champion once again,” Lesnar said in the recent UFC 141 Countdown special. “When that cage door gets locked, the beast within Brock Lesnar will come out.”

Meanwhile, Overeem feels like gaining the UFC title is the next stepping stone towards cementing his legacy in MMA, saying, “I already achieved something nobody else has achieved. I’m not satisfied. I believe the time is now for me to get the UFC belt.”

Check out the full UFC 141 Countdown segment on Lesnar-Overeem below and make sure to catch them fight on PPV with things starting up at 10:00 PM EST:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Overeem, who came under heavy scrutiny when he missed a test earlier this year to fly back to Holland and care for his ill mother, passed his initial pre-fight drug test. “The Reem” will still have to take additional tests when he arrives in the U.S., but the first hurdle has been cleared.

“The urine sample by Mr. Overeem in the U.K. on 12/14 came back negative for all prohibited substances,” Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer said in a release.

Since making a move from light heavyweight to heavyweight, Overeem has faced question after question about his use of banned substances. The former Strikeforce heavyweight champion has yet to ever fail a pre- or post-fight test. After missing those earlier tests, NSAC granted Overeem a conditional license to fight.

Overeem and Lesnar, a former UFC heavyweight title-holder, will meet on Friday, December 30 for the No. 1 contender spot in the UFC’s biggest division. The winner will meet current champ Junior dos Santos sometime in 2012 after “Cigano” recovers from a knee injury.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

However, as Overeem preps for the five-round war at UFC 141, he was forced to take time out of his busy schedule to explain why he missed a drug test to the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Overeem has since been approved by NSAC on a temporary basis, meaning he will be allowed to face Lesnar, a former UFC heavyweight champion, in a No. 1 contender bout on December 30.

“The issue was over a random drug test requirement – which I didn’t know about until I came to Holland – and I understand it from their side,” wrote Overeem, in his latest blog entry for Yahoo Sports. “I am happy to have got my license under the conditions the commissioners set out. I am also happy they accepted and stated on the record that there was no attempt by myself to avoid any test.”

Overeem headed back to Holland to care for his ill mother, who is battling cancer but has since improved. He will finish up training in his native country before returning to the U.S. for the Lesnar bout.

“I am looking forward to the fight. This distraction hasn’t taken any of the excitement away from me fighting Brock Lesnar in my UFC debut,” Overeem wrote. “This is a huge fight for the sport and a dream fight for the fans. Some fans probably never thought they’d see this fight, as I was cleaning house outside the UFC while Brock was in the UFC.”

Overeem went on to say he always intended to sign with the UFC, but that he did not expect to join the company until maybe 2013. He also gave his prediction for the Lesnar bout, writing, “This fight is not going to last two rounds. That’s my official prediction, that I knock him out in the second round, but, the more I think about it, the more I think it will end in the first round.”

PHOTO CREDIT – K1/UFC

The show is set for Friday, December 30 rather than on Saturday due to New Year’s Eve and will emanate from Las Vegas. Adding even more intrigue to the headliner, the winner will earn a title shot against UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos in 2012 after the affable Brazilian recovers from knee surgery.

“This is my home. The UFC is Brock Lesnar. I don’t care how many fights he’s had or where his career has been. This is my time. This is my house,” explained a motivated Lesnar in a recently released extended preview for the event.

Along with Lesnar-Overeem, fearless lightweights Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone will meet in the co-main event.

Watch all four fighters talk about their upcoming match-ups in the UFC 141 Preview below:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

His status for the fight was in doubt after he failed to comply with the state commissions out-of-competition testing that was ordered on November 17.

Overeem and Lesnar were asked to submit tests on that date. Lesnar did so on November 21 while Overeem waited until November 23. Unfortunately for the Holland native, his test did not meet the commissions standards. Overeem submitted a second test to his personal “sports doctor” but the results have not been collected and the commission wondered if any test was actually taken.

Currently in Holland to take care of his sick mother, Overeem met with the commission today via phone and was sworn under oath during the proceedings.

“When I got the request to test myself, I took the test straight away. I went to the doctor, and he had me steroid tested. I went in for the results, which took 10 days. When I finally got the results, I submitted them, and I thought that that should be sufficient for the commission. But after a couple of days, I received notice that it was not sufficient, and I needed to do more testing. So I went back to the doctor straight away and I had my second test done with the full parameters that was provided by the NSAC, and that was taken last Wednesday, Dec. 7. The results of the test are due seven to 10 days from Dec. 7, so I’m expecting them this week.”

Overeem blamed the differences between testing in the US and Holland for the delay, saying, “In Holland, you go to the doctor to request a test, and then you get permission to go to a facility, or the doctor can take your specimen for you. Because that was not a full panel test, which I learned (later) because it was the first time I ever went through this procedure, we had to look for other options. Because this is the first time I’ve done this; I’ve never done a full panel steroid test in Holland, and the doctors here also did not know where we could do that. So my doctor made some calls and researched the subject. We found that we could do the testing in Germany in a laboratory, and there also it seems there were some complications. In Europe, a drug testing cannot be done by an athlete himself. It has to be requested by an organization. So for me, it’s pretty hard to test myself here, and I’ve learned by going through this procedure because I’ve never gone through this procedure before.”

However, the commission put the blame on Overeem’s assistant, Collin Lam, who has no prior experience in assisting professional athletes. The commission believed that Lam did not show a sense of urgency in relaying the information to his client.

Lesnar’s test results came back clean and he has been cleared for action on December 30.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE/UFC

However, not too long ago, “The Reem” was competing in the light heavyweight division. For the powerful Dutchman the transition to the heavyweight ranks was a long time coming.

“Everyone around me, including friends of mine I have known since we were kids, knew right away it was the right call when I moved to heavyweight full time in 2007,” wrote Overeem, in his blog for Yahoo! Sports. “Some fans and MMA media didn’t understand it, they thought, ‘How is he going to do any better at heavyweight, he will not do as well as at 205 lbs,’ but I make the decision after taking a hard look at myself.”

Overeem has fended off talk of using performance enhancing drugs for much of his career, but he counts eating better and heavy lifting as the reason his body took to the heavyweight division instead.

“I knew putting on enough weight to where I was able to compete with the top heavies would take time. I also know that as soon as I started eating well and had the energy to work out with the weights, I would add mass right away,” Overeem wrote. “But it took time for me to get bigger and grow into a powerful heavyweight.”

He also revealed the division’s relatively shallow pool was appealing, writing, “Plus – and this is something fighters never ever usually admit – the fact is 205 lbs is a division stacked with talent and the heavyweight division doesn’t have that many world class fighters. I am happy to admit that. At 205 lbs., you have a great champion in Jon Jones, and very talented guys like Lyoto Machida, (Quinton Jackson), Ryan Bader, Forrest Griffin, Dan Henderson, (Mauricio Rua) – the list goes on and on. Anyone in the Top 15 at light heavyweight is a dangerous fight, while at heavyweight, if I am honest, there’s maybe eight or nine true world class fighters competing at heavyweight.”

Overeem will make his Octagon debut when he tackles Lesnar on December 30 from Las Vegas, Nevada. Other fights for UFC 141 include Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone and Johny Hendricks against Jon Fitch.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

In his latest blog for YahooSports, Overeem discussed his move to Xtreme Couture, his plans for 2011, and of course his upcoming bout against Lesnar.

Not only will “The Demolition Man” be stepping into the octagon for the first time in his career on December 30, but he’ll be doing it under the guidance of a new camp. After spending the majority of his career in Holland with Golden Glory, Overeem moved to Vegas earlier this year to train with Xtreme Couture.

“This is the first time I have not trained in Holland or Japan for years, but the vibe is perfect at Xtreme Couture. It helped that I already knew some of the guys there like Ray Sefo and Maurice Jackson, but I just feel very welcome there and they have all the facilities – two cages, a ring, lots of bags – everything I need to get ready for Lesnar. I am ready to put in the work,” said Overeem.

A bout against the former UFC champion wasn’t something Overeem had to take. According to him, he was offered a title shot against the winner of Dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez, but decided against it, saying, “I don’t want to sit on the sidelines, I want to fight.I think I have earned a UFC world title fight, by winning every major title outside the UFC, but I am here to prove that I am – without question – the best heavyweight on the planet. You don’t do that sitting on the sidelines or working out in the gym, you do that by fighting and beating the best available opposition in the biggest fights that can be made.”

Even though he has 40 more professional than his opponent, Overeem doesn’t underestimate Lesnar. “Winning UFC belt from Randy Couture in his fourth pro MMA fight and defending it against Frank Mir and Shane Carwin was very impressive. I am also impressed by Lesnar’s fighting spirit; he has twice come back from a very serious illness and fought very tough opposition right away. He obviously has a lot of confidence in himself in fighting me after more than a year out and surgery on his stomach, and I admire that about him, but I am even more confident in myself.”

Against Lesnar, Overeem will not only be battling a man that is his equal in size, but he’ll be up against a collegiate wrestling champion for the first time in his career. That doesn’t seem to concern the Dutch striker, who said, “He is great at takedowns and controlling people on the ground, but I can stop his takedowns and he is no match for me on the feet. I am going to rip Brock Lesnar apart, piece by piece.”

PHOTO CREDIT – K-1/STRIKEFORCE

Overeem made the announcement on today’s episode of The MMA Hour.

While “The Demolition Man” holds no ill will towards his former training partners, he was less than thrilled with his management team, stating that there was, “a major breach of trust.” He went into more detail on the latest episode of “The Reem” which can be found below, saying, “I hired a lawyer to go through the [UFC] contract with me, step-by-step. What me and the lawyer found out was there were details in the contract which were to my disadvantage and to the advantage of Golden Glory, and which also were not explained to me by Golden Glory and particularly by [Golden Glory manager] Bas (Boon).”

While leaving the team he’s been with the majority of his career in preparation for his bout against Brock Lesnar may seem like a big deal, Overeem insists that won’t be the case. “Basically, I was already doing all my own stuff. Golden Glory did have a hand, of course, because they had some sparring partners and they were doing fight contract negotiations, but basically my own team already took care of it, so it’s not going to be a real big deal.”

At Xtreme Couture, Overeem will no doubt be getting some of the best wrestling training of his career, which should come in handy against former NCAA wrestling champion and UFC heavyweight champion Lesnar when the two collide at on December 30 at UFC 141.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

The bout was first reported by the LATimes and quickly confirmed by Dana White on twitter.

A former UFC heavyweight champion, Lesnar has been sidelined since October 2010 after going through another battle with diverticulitis. He last competed at UFC 121, losing his heavyweight strap to current champion Velasquez by first round TKO. Prior to the loss, Lesnar had won four straight fights with wins over Randy Couture, Frank Mir, and Shane Carwin. A former NCAA national wrestling champion, Lesnar has had no easy fights in the UFC and that trend continues in December when he meets Overeem.

Following his release from Strikeforce, Overeem entered in negotiations with UFC and has struck a deal with the company. The only Strikeforce heavyweight champion in company history, Overeem hasn’t lost in 11 fights. In his most recent bout, the K-1 striking champion defeated submission expert Fabricio Werdum by decision, in one of the oddest fights in MMA history. Prior to that, “The Demolition Man” knocked out Todd Duffee and Brett Rogers. In 35 career victories, Overeem has only been to a decision twice.

The December 30 event, which takes places on a Friday night instead of the usual Saturday, will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

*PHOTO CREDIT – ESTHER LIN/STRIKEFORCE*

According to an official statement from Golden Glory executive Bas Boon, the regrettable release of their athletes was the result of preexisting agreements with Strikeforce prior to Zuffa’s purchase of the organization and possibly some miscommunication as well.

“The problem with Strikeforce was that we made some agreements with Scott (Coker) which were creating headaches now Zuffa took over. The fighters were paid in the previous Strikeforce bouts to an account of the management without any problems, yet UFC claimed this was impossible,” Boon explained while also adding that the only reason his group requested payment directly to management was as a means of ensuring their fighters, trainers, and coaches were all paid on time rather than dealing with taxes, exchange rates, or the amount of time checks issued from foreign countries take to clear.

Citing the deal the management team made with the UFC in relation to Jon Olav Einemo as far as their willingness to be flexible on their standard style of payment, Boon wrote, “We did not have a choice and never said we would not fight in the future or that we would refuse to work like this in the future (we worked out that problem with the Zuffa lawyer in the Vancouver and even agreed with their new sponsor policies).”

In closing, the long-time fight promoter expressed his desire to work things out with Zuffa and had no qualms about signing the necessary contracts to do so.

“We would like to keep working in the future with the UFC and with this statement I clearly say that direct payment to any of our fighters was not a problem and will not be a problem in the future. We just want to be able to produce great fighters and create great fights for the fans. We have no intention for co-promotion deals and are even willing to make an exclusive deal for Alistair Overeem to fight in the UFC, if the terms are right.”

Read below for a complete transcript of the Golden Glory press release:

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“First of all we would like to thank all the support of the fans.

Anyway we regret the response from Zuffa and the releases, but it is their company and they can do what they want, we would like to keep working in the future with the UFC and with this statement I clearly say that direct payment to any of our fighter was not a problem and will not be a problem in the future. We just want to be able to produce great fighters and create great fights for the fans. We have no intention for co-promotion deals and are even willing to make an exclusive deal for Alistair Overeem to fight in the UFC, if the terms are right.”

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE/GOLDEN GLORY

The former Strikeforce heavyweight champ sat down with HDNet’s “Inside MMA” where he discussed the circumstances surrounding his newfound free agency.

“I was promised personally by Scott (Coker) that the second round of the Strikeforce Grand Prix was going to be held in October,” Overeem began when asked about his adamant opposition to fighting a month earlier as was eventually requested of him. “Well that all changed. I heard about two-and-a-half weeks ago that they wanted to change the date to September 10.”

“The reasons are unknown,” he continued before speculating that the decision may have been related to the UFC holding other events in October and attempting to avoid competing against their own programming.

Overeem went on to explain injuries he’d suffered against Fabricio Werdum in June prevented him from training, a fact he relayed to his bosses only to be told he would be removed from the tournament if he wasn’t able to compete when required. Then, after again communicating his inability to properly prepare for his quarterfinal fight against Antonio Silva, the Dutchman said the “threat” changed to him being dropped from the roster entirely.

“I said, ‘Well then go ahead and cut me,’ and they went along and cut me.”

Questioning whether he’d made his decision hastily, “The Demolition Man” opted to see a doctor and make sure the damage was as bad as he believed. It turned out things were actually worse when an X-Ray revealed a broken rib requiring an additional month of recovery time (documented on video).

“The strange thing is Strikeforce they cut me…but they didn’t ask me for any medical evidence. I don’t know what they were thinking. Maybe they were thinking I was bluffing or something. I don’t know.”

Answering to critics who felt he may have been using his injuries as leverage in contract negotiations, Overeem quickly dismissed the notion though admitted it would have been a “golden situation” to be in the Grand Prix final without a deal in place. He also revealed the extension he was originally offered to stay involved an exclusivity clause meaning he would no longer be able to compete in K-1 or DREAM.

The conversation ended with Overeem expressing his interest in eventually fighting in the Octagon, alluding to Junior dos Santosand Cain Velasquez as opponents he’s interested in facing, but saying he didn’t know if it would ever happen at this point.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

The jaw-dropping news came via a report on HDNet’s “Inside MMA” where injuries were cited as the reason for his release with a reference also made in regards to the Dutchman’s refusal to fight in September as part of the promotion’s World Grand Prix semifinal round.

Overeem exits Strikeforce with a 4-0 record including wins over Vitor Belfort, Brett Rogers, and Fabricio Werdum. His last appearance under the Strikeforce banner came in June against Werdum where he outpointed the submission artist in a lackluster result to what had previously been billed as a “must see” heavyweight fight.

While his MMA future is unknown, one certainty for the 31-year old appears to be an October date in the Netherlands as part of a United Glory kickboxing event. Overeem has also expressed interest in trying his hand (or hands as they case may be) in boxing.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

The news was first reported by Tatame.com

The Grand Prix was scheduled to continue on September 10 with Overeem vs. Silva and Josh Barnett vs. Sergei Kharitonov but Overeem wanted his fight pushed back to October in order to have a full training camp coming off the injury. Instead Zuffa has pulled Overeem from the tournament rather than delaying his fight.
“The Reem” entered the tournament as the favorite but didn’t have a great showing in his first round fight against Fabricio Werdum, a lackluster unanimous decision victory. On the other side, “Bigfoot” looked extremely impressive in finishing Fedor Emelianenko in his first round match-up.

With Overeem out, Cormier gets his chance in the spotlight. Originally scheduled as an alternate in the tournament, Cormier fought his way into this position with comfortable decision victories over Devin Cole and Jeff Monson.

Along with the two heavyweight semi-final fights, “Jacare” Souza is expected to defend his middleweight strap against Luke Rockhold on the September 10 card.

*PHOTO CREDIT – ESTHER LIN*