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**limba** · 02-05-2011, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem admits that UFC champion Cain Velasquez is the No. 1 heavyweight in mixed martial arts.

But Overeem says that won't be the case by the end of the year.

"Cain Velasquez is No. 1 now because I haven't competed against the names," Overeem told MMAFighting.com. "So there is that argument, that I haven't fought the caliber opponents I should -- I wanted to, but either they wouldn't fight me, or the schedule didn't work out. But that's what this tournament is about."

But Overeem said he's very confident that he'll beat Fabricio Werdum in his first fight in Strikeforce's upcoming heavyweight tournament, then he'll beat either Fedor Emelianenko or Antonio Silva in the second round of that tournament, and then he'll win the tournament final. Overeem thinks the whole tournament will progress quickly enough that he could fight three times before Velasquez returns from shoulder surgery, and that by then MMA fans will recognize Overeem as the top heavyweight in the sport.

Overeem's April fight with Werdum will be a rematch of a 2006 Pride bout that Werdum won by submission. But Overeem said he's a far better fighter now than he was then.

"I'm very motivated, very healthy, very confident," Overeem said. "Everything is different now for me than when I fought Werdum. I was a light heavyweight then and I'm a heavyweight now. I'm much better than I was then."

Overeem said he's so confident in his ability to keep the fight standing against the dangerous Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt that "It might as well be a K-1 kickboxing match of three five-minute rounds."

The heavyweight tournament gets started on February 12, and Overeem will be paying particularly close attention to that night's fight between Emelianenko and Silva. When asked to play oddsmaker for that bout, Overeem said, "60-40 Fedor."

"Silva is a big guy who could give Fedor trouble," Overeem said. "I just want to watch and see what happens. I'm really not concerned about that, I've just got to beat Werdum and I'll fight the winner."

And if Overeem beats Werdum and then beats the Emelianenko-Silva winner, he thinks he'll be more than just the Strikeforce champion. He'll be the top heavyweight in the world.

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**hixxy** · 02-05-2011, 07:16 PM

Thats a fair statement..

**khoveraki** · 02-06-2011, 03:39 PM

If Overeem beats a dude who couldn't cut it in the UFC, then he beats Fedor/Silva, then one of the scrubs on the right of the bracket... he's #1? Yeah okay.

The bar is set really high for Overeem right now. He's got to not only beat Werdum, but walk right through him faster than the last guy that beat him, and the last guy dominated him and knocked him out cold in like 50 seconds.

f4rtknock3r · 02-07-2011, 03:47 PM

What is overreem ranked 3rd? He better hope he can back up the talk if happens to lose at any point in the tournament this would have a major impact in his ranking.

Hiro · 02-07-2011, 04:20 PM

How can anyone not like this guy? Speaks such sense in every interview and is a monster to boot.

**box** · 02-07-2011, 04:39 PM

I like the guy, but people constantly build him up to be something he isn't....yet. Give him some time before you throw those #1 ranks in there.

**Guy Incognito** · 02-07-2011, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khoveraki

If Overeem beats a dude who couldn't cut it in the UFC, then he beats Fedor/Silva, then one of the scrubs on the right of the bracket... he's #1? Yeah okay.

The bar is set really high for Overeem right now. He's got to not only beat Werdum, but walk right through him faster than the last guy that beat him, and the last guy dominated him and knocked him out cold in like 50 seconds.

He got cut by the UFC because he wanted more money and barnett is no scrub neither is arlofski when he is on.

Not to mention beating fedor(if he does) definitely shoots you up the rankings especially if he destroys him.

I'd still have cain at No.1 but you can definitely make an argument for the Winner of the Tournament.

**khoveraki** · 02-07-2011, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guy incognito

He got cut by the UFC because he wanted more money and barnett is no scrub neither is arlofski when he is on.

Not to mention beating fedor(if he does) definitely shoots you up the rankings especially if he destroys him.

I'd still have cain at No.1 but you can definitely make an argument for the Winner of the Tournament.

Barnett hasn't fought anyone relevant in five years. Werdum got destroyed in 50 seconds in Cigano's debut. Arlovski is 0-4 recently.

Sure these guys would be good fighters if you went back and time and grabbed them in their prime for this tournament. But this isn't 2005, 2007, or even 2009, it's 2011 and in this sport you're relevant one minute and a nobody the next. Just ask Tim Sylvia - who would be even with a lot of these guys in the tournament.

**osmium** · 02-08-2011, 03:32 AM

If JDS beats Brock he should be number 1 he would have a better resume than Cain and Overeem winning the tournament wouldn't be enough.

**khoveraki** · 02-08-2011, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osmium

If JDS beats Brock he should be number 1 he would have a better resume than Cain and Overeem winning the tournament wouldn't be enough.

Agreed, if JDS beats Lesnar he will have a better resume than Cain. The only name really missing would be Nog who he would never fight. But IMO Werdum is a much better fighter than Nog nowadays and has definitely looked more impressive.

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