Matthew's Take
MATTHEW: "Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery" – The Return of Alistair Overeem
May 15, 2010 - 1:25:21 PM MATTHEW: "Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery" – The Return of Alistair Overeem

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By: Sam Matthew, MMATorch Columnist

With a main event featuring the much anticipated U.S. return of Alistair Overeem taking on local heavy-hitter Brett Rogers, two known strikers squaring off in the cage for a heavyweight title fight, I have noticed that a lot of the casual and serious fans alike are scoffing at this matchup. What’s not to like? Its two gigantic heavyweights who prefer to stand and trade, a belt just happens to be on the line, and you don’t have to pay 45 freakin’ dollars for it!

Is it the simple fact that Fedor is so huge he generates his own gravitational pull, enrapturing an entire nation into his orbit? Yes, I agree with everyone that after losing to Fedor, it doesn’t seem linear for Rogers to get a title shot instead of “The Last Emperor,” but let’s not forget that M-1 Global is quite a shady promotion that is constantly going back on contracts and Strikeforce had to work overtime just to secure another U.S. appearance from the #1 ranked Heavyweight in the world. While fixing up these negotiations they just so happened to finally have their absent champ, Alistair Overeem available for a title defense, and so picked the next best challenger after Fedor.

This brings us to the next biggest source of fans griping, Overeem retaining his Strikeforce title without having defended it once since he claimed it from Paul Buentello over two years ago. Scott Coker has explained this away by saying that up until very recently, the smaller regional Strikeforce promotion had no heavyweight roster to challenge Overeem, which is true. Now that Strikeforce has gone national (and only in the past year and a half really) Overeem has been preoccupied.

And in his time away from the U.S. it’s not as if the Dutch “Demolition Man” has been playing golf for Christ’s sake! All he’s been doing is dismantling some of the world’s best strikers in what is considered by anyone to be the most prestigious kickboxing organization in the world. Oh, and he still found time for an occasional MMA contest with Japanese promotions like DREAM, though I will agree he faced sub-standard competition in those most recent MMA outings.

Still, in his time away from the states he has been competing at the highest level in some of the most rigorous combat sports the modern world has ever seen, and that has to count for something, right? Apparently not, as many fellow keyboard warriors have written off Overeem as a steroid-infused cheating monster who dares to test the waters of the American MMA scene. Well, not surprisingly, the bookies share my sentiment on favoring Overeem with a -260 betting line against Rogers’ +200. The reason these numbers aren’t even further apart is certainly because of Overeem’s extended absence from the true powerhouse of MMA, America, and tonight’s fight will be a real test to see if he belongs.

In my opinion though, Rogers’ only chance is to take Overeem down so he can ground and pound his way to a TKO or decision win. If he chooses to stand with one of the best kickboxers in the world, to put it simply, he’s going to sleep. This is MMA of course, and anything can happen with those little gloves on (i.e. Robbie Lawler knocking out Melvin Manhoef after being absolutely decimated on the feet) but the striking advantage has to be with Overeem here. I’m predicting a late 1st round KO, maybe early in the 2nd but Rogers is definitely going down in less time than it took Fedor to finish him.

Now to address the other raging issue that so many fans have with Overeem, his swollen physique and possible use of steroids to attain it. Honestly, in the world today, steroids and professional athletes is becoming more and more of an issue, and rightly so because I hate the fact that many athletes use PED’s in some form or another. But, the day that someone proves without any doubt that UFC champ Brock Lesnar never in his entire life (including his many years with a freaking professional acting- I mean wrestling organization) used steroids to reach his ungodly size, will be the day that I respect what he’s done for the sport and actually consider him a legitimate champion. Same goes for Overeem.

As Torch editor Jamie Penick has been quick to point out, passing a steroid test that was forewarned months before the fact, allowing any fighter to stop using and cycle out of their body any presence of steroids, really doesn’t do much to legitimize an athlete. And again the same can be said for Brock Lesnar or any other professional fighter or Olympic athlete or baseball player.

While Overeem in particular has gained a lot of muscle mass in a seemingly short few years, he has explained it away by saying he was always a big light-heavyweight when he competed in PRIDE (against the very best by the way, including newly crowned UFC champ “Shogun” Rua). Having to cut a lot of weight to make light-heavy, Overeem finally decided to just put on pounds and roll with the big boys.

Ultimately, who can really prove for sure if someone has ever taken PED’s? So while everyone else obsesses with steroid speculation and accuses Overeem while drooling over Lesnar, I think I’ll just gear myself up for some good heavy-hitting action and be satisfied with a title fight of epic knockout potential.

RELATED STORY: STRIKEFORCE: HEAVY ARTILLERY PREVIEW: Penick's breakdowns and predictions for Overeem vs. Rogers event: [CLICK TO READ FULL ARTICLE]