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**TheLyotoLegion** · 08-05-2012, 07:35 PM

Quote:

LOS ANGELES -- UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos will defend his title at an unannounced card on Dec. 29 in Las Vegas. His opponent, however, is yet to be determined.

UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta confirmed the promotion's plan to have dos Santos (15-1) compete on the year-end card to ESPN.com on Saturday.

"There is no contract but that's what we have penciled in my office," Fertitta told ESPN.com.

Fertitta added the reason a previously scheduled fight between dos Santos and former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez for UFC 152 on Sept. 22 was delayed was because of a "couple nicks, nothing serious," that dos Santos suffered in training.

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While Velasquez (10-1) had already been scheduled as the next No. 1 contender, it appears that is not necessarily the case anymore.

Only dos Santos has been confirmed for the December card and Fertitta is optimistic currently suspended Alistair Overeem might be available on that date.

Overeem (36-11-1) is currently serving a nine-month suspension under the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a failed drug test in March. He is eligible to reapply for a fighter's license in Nevada on Dec. 27, two days before the year-end card.

Fertitta told ESPN.com, however, it was his understanding the commission might rule on Overeem before that Dec. 27 date. He clearly said, though, it lies in the hands of the NSAC.

"The best case scenario is he's licensed in enough time to put him on the December card," Fertitta said. "We can't commit to that because we don't know what the commission will do.

"I believe it is possible he could (be available). The commission could allow him to come forward before that."

NSAC executive director Keith Kizer, when contacted by ESPN.com, said he had not heard the possibility of an early licensing hearing for Overeem and would oppose it.

"I don't think there is any truth to that and I would be against that," Kizer said. "That is not how our rules read."

If the decision were up to the champion, Overeem would be booked to the title fight immediately. That's according to UFC president Dana White, who added another element to the story during the UFC on Fox post-fight news conference, saying dos Santos was intent on an Overeem matchup.

"I sat down with Junior dos Santos yesterday," White said. "He said, 'I have nothing but respect for Cain Velasquez. I like him as a person and as a fighter and he deserves this shot, but I do not want to fight him.'

"He said, 'Alistair Overeem is a punk. He's got a big mouth and he's been saying lots of bad things about me. I want to knock him out now.' "

When asked how he felt about dos Santos preferring to fight Overeem, Velasquez's trainer Javier Mendez said in a text, "Dos Santos camp has been ducking Cain from start to try and get Overeem fight."

Velasquez's camp has expressed publicly its fighter is ready to go and wants the opportunity to fight dos Santos. The two have met previously, with dos Santos taking a first-round knockout victory in November 2011.

http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/82...le-december-29

**Spec0688** · 08-05-2012, 07:43 PM

Overeem's plan worked to perfection.

Goad JDS with words so that he asks Dana to fight you specfically, I saw this coming from the get go when Overeem started bad mouth JDS a bit. Instead of fighting one more fight probably before a title shot, Overeem gets one right after the suspension by just saying a few things about JDS.

**_RIVAL_** · 08-05-2012, 07:53 PM

You know JDS calling out Overeem made Dana giggle like a punk in a pickle tree.

This is a fresh, sellable, intriguing HW fight.

**No_Mercy** · 08-05-2012, 08:17 PM

This is the fight that was originally slated, and now it's going to happen. Should Cain lose the rematch it'll put him in limbo. His camp doesn't see it yet, but this is a good scenario. Meanwhile Cain can take his anger out on another perennial contender; Werdum.

**_RIVAL_** · 08-05-2012, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by No_Mercy

This is the fight that was originally slated, and now it's going to happen. Should Cain lose the rematch it'll put him in limbo. His camp doesn't see it yet, but this is a good scenario. Meanwhile Cain can take his anger out on another perennial contender; Werdum.

I could see them putting together Cain/Werdum or Cain/Strueve I'd definatly watch either fight.

TBH I'd rather watch Werdum/Strueve though.

EDIT: Looks like Strueve is fighting Stipe. Who else is climbing in the HW roster on that level?

**Ape City** · 08-05-2012, 08:25 PM

I can't wait to see how "undetermined opponent" does.

**Rygu** · 08-05-2012, 08:26 PM

I wonder if Mendez truly believes JDS is ducking Cain. If so, he may be on opiates. Getting knocked out in 64 seconds, and then beating Bigfoot and nobody else does not make Cain worthy of a rematch yet by any stretch of the imagination.

JDS/Overeem is the fight fans want to see. Like No_Mercy said, have Cain fight Werdum. Personally, I would pick Werdum to beat Cain anyways.

**khoveraki** · 08-05-2012, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rygu

I wonder if Mendez truly believes JDS is ducking Cain. If so, he may be on opiates. Getting knocked out in 64 seconds, and then beating Bigfoot and nobody else does not make Cain worthy of a rematch yet by any stretch of the imagination.

JDS/Overeem is the fight fans want to see. Like No_Mercy said, have Cain fight Werdum. Personally, I would pick Werdum to beat Cain anyways.

I'd cosign this post in its entirety.

**Life B Ez** · 08-05-2012, 09:09 PM

Overeem is better, Cain is boring as hell as far as personality goes and it makes it hard to sell the fight. Not to mention, he was just KOd in a minute. So how do they market that, he went back and evolved and got better in one fight? No, Cain needs at least one more impressive win over someone who isn't trying to go to the mat as soon as the bell rings, or isn't going to throw lazy leg kicks and get taken down immediately. Honestly, overeem and Cain should be fight each other. But that leaves JDS no one to fight.

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**_RIVAL_** · 08-05-2012, 09:12 PM

If Cigano stops Alastair and Werdum can stop Cain it will set up a sick rematch.

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