Alistair Overeem set to face Remy Bonjasky at K-1 World GP 2009 on March 28
by Jesse Holland on Feb 27, 2009 11:32 AM EST
37 comments
Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) has confirmed that Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem will return to K-1 on March 28 to face World GP 2008 Champion Remy Bonjasky under K-1 rules at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 from the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan.
"Demolition Man" is coming off a first round destruction of former K-1 heavyweight champion Badr Hari at the Fields Dynamite!! super show on December 31.
Overeem has looked solid of late, winning five straight consecutive bouts and — before smashing his balls — was putting it to Mirko Cro Cop at DREAM 6 in September. Overeem has been in against some of the best in the business throughout his career and is still in his prime.
Still, one has to wonder if he’s in over his head taking on a K-1 champion under K-1 rules. True, he dismantled former champion Hari with relative ease, but the Moroccan was competing just three weeks after his appearance in the 2008 Grand Prix Tournament where he fought three times in one night.
One of those opponents was eventual tournament winner Remy Bonjasky, who took the title via controversial disqualification in the GP Finals. Hari pulled Bonjasky to the ground in the second round and seemed to lose control of himself, pummeling the downed opponent and even trying to stomp on Bonjasky’s face.
Bonjasky was allowed five minutes to recover but was still seeing double after the time elapsed and the referee called the match. Hari was stripped of his heavyweight title and received no pay for his participation in the event.
It's going to be interesting to see just how far Overeem has come in his performance on March 28.
Also on the card, Melvin Manhoef will join the heavyweight tournament in a bid to lay claim to the heavyweight title that was stripped from Badr Hari following last year's improprieties. While Hari will also be on the card, he is not included in the tournament and will instead rematch Errol Zimmerman from their match at the 2008 GP.
Here is the current line-up for the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009:
Superfights:
Alistair Overeem vs. Remy Bonjasky
Badr Hari vs. Errol Zimmerman
Jerome LeBanner vs. Ewerton Teixeira
Junichi Sawayashiki vs. Glaube Feitosa
Heavyweight Tournament:
Semifinal 1: Melvin Manhoef vs. Chalid "Die Faust"
Semifinal 2: Ruslan Karaev vs. Gokhan Saki
Reserve Fight: Tyrone Spong vs. Keijiro Maeda
Heavyweight Final:
Winner Semifinal 1 vs. Winner Semifinal 2
Stay tuned as this fight card continues to develop.
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Is this going to be K-1 rules or MMA rules?? Anyone know?
by belfort_fan on Feb 27, 2009 11:35 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
not sure but its clear from the Hari fight that Overeem can fight regardless of the rules…this is an interesting match-up and should be a good scrap!!! – lets see if Overeem managed to pack more muscle – if thats even possible (JUICED UP) – POSSIBILITY
by "I came, I saw, I conquered" - "Veni, Vidi, Vici" on Feb 27, 2009 11:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Haha yeah, i dont think he can pack any more muscle onto that frame. And yeah Overeem hhas showed that he can fight K-1 rules and MMa both very well. Hari is one of the best kickboxers in the world. Overeem is so good at mixing his kickboxing in with MMA very well. Im exited to see him do big things in the near future, like maybe head over to the UFC and make their hw devision alil more exiting.
by belfort_fan on Feb 27, 2009 11:50 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Gotta LOVE that HDnet signed the K-1 deal!!!!!!!!
I would love to see Melvin vicously KO both opponents in route to becoming HW champ. He F’d Mark Hunt up at the Grand Prix, I mean, F’d him up!
Remi
Badr
Texiera in an upset
Karaev wins tourny (but Im rooting for Melvin)
Has anyone been watching the K-1 Classics on HDnet?
by ViolentMike on Feb 27, 2009 3:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
K-1 rules. Don’t know if it’s a good idea. Bonjasky is gonna slow him down with leg kicks. Melvin is balls for taking on HWs. Doesn’t hurt that he can KO elephants. It’s gonna be so hard to follow all these cards in the next few months.
by NameNotRequired on Feb 27, 2009 6:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
bonjasky has the best defense in K1, its what hes known for… that being said, i totoally miffed my prediction of hari/overeem so im not going to mess with this one, im just going to enjoy the fight… hari/zimmerman will be a WAR! their first fight was awesome, i reccomend everybody go youtube it and check it out!
by brendan on Feb 27, 2009 7:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Rumor has it he will be in the UFC as long as he passes some tests?
by Beaver on Feb 28, 2009 3:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I watch HD NET fights every weekday.
by belfort_fan on Feb 28, 2009 2:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Alistar isnt going to be fighting in the UFC anytime soon. He is wasting mma time, by taking K-1 fights…..and he still owes dREAM 2 more fights. He cant sign with ANYONE until he fights twice more for dREAM. I doubt that Alistar will EVER land in the UFC. Why would he? If he signs with the UFC he would have to stop doing many other things that make him money. If he signs with the uFC he cant take K-1 fights anymore.
I see Alistar re-signing with Strikeforce, which will lend him out to Affliction and allow him to not only also fight in DREAM, but it will allow him to continue fighting in K-1 as well.
it would really be stupid of Alistar to sign with the UFC….Its just NEVER going to happen
by john on Mar 1, 2009 11:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Go Melvin. He needs to come to the UFC.
by Synyster on Feb 27, 2009 2:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Syn: NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN! If he were to sign with the UFC it would mean, not being able to also fight in K-1 which is something that Melvin will NEVER agree to! Melvin has went on record saying his dREAM is to fight wanderlei, but that will just NEVER happen!
HOwevere, I do think that Melvin will eventually take some fights in Affliction or strikeforce…..either company would work because he would still be able to fight mma in japan, as well as k-1.
I would love to see Melvin take a fight at affliction. For example:
Melvin Manhoef vs. Votor Belfort would be bad ass!
Or Melvin could sign with strikeforce and take fights like:
Melvin vs. Robbie lawler or
Melvin vs. Cung Le
Melvin vs. Frank Shammy!
all great fights!
by john on Mar 1, 2009 11:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It says K1 rules on the second line, could you not even read that far?
by Ade on Feb 27, 2009 4:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i would imagine k1 rules. if alistair brings it like he did against the bad boy than its gonna be over fast
by denniskuderjr on Feb 27, 2009 11:39 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Wasn’t he just ring side with Dana?
by rusty springs on Feb 27, 2009 11:42 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
yeah but he has to finish up other contracts before being able to come to the ufc
by sac165 on Feb 27, 2009 11:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
actually, he is not going to the UFC. He has already agreed to defend his Strikeforce HW title in a few months.
by Bill Maher on Feb 28, 2009 3:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
this is great, I love seeing coverage for K-1, even if it’s because of an mma fighter
by TooDiesel on Feb 27, 2009 12:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
YEES!! K-1 is the shieet.. Ruslan and Badr are two of my absolute favourites!! Andrei Arlovksi vs Ruslan Karaev needs to happen under K-1 rules..
by RoB on Feb 27, 2009 12:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Overeem will destroy Bonjasky. Hari is a much more dangerous opponent and he KO’d him in the opening frame. Plain and simple, Alistair Overeem is the most under-rated HW out there. Quite possibly the most under-rated fighter in all of MMA. It would be a treat to see this guy come over and fight in the UFC. His move up to heavyweight has resurrected his career… and by the way, for the comment who said he was juicing… how do you figure? He fights for StrikeForce in the US… he’s tested dude.
by BadVibes on Feb 27, 2009 12:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
bonjasky fights different than hari. he, doesn’t throw a jab then go for a killer combination every time. remy might make him run all over the ring making him reach to try to connect with anything
by quidnunc on Feb 27, 2009 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Alistair wont fall into that, He’s a very accomplished, flashy and classy striker himself.
by belfort_fan on Feb 27, 2009 12:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
hari had fought 3 weeks prior in the grand prix fighting 3 times in one night before that fight and bonjasky was winning, overeem did do great still but this will be a different fight and overeem has a supect chin.he could win but i don’t think it will be easy.
by roy on Feb 27, 2009 12:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
A couple wins and your sold. Let go of your firm grip on Overeem’s nuts. This is still the guy who was a huge underachiever for years. Just because he is on steroids and stopped a much smaller Hari doesn’t mean that Overeem is all of a sudden the best HW in the world. Remy has a perfect style to beat a guy like Overeem and he is more experienced in K-1.
by Ballam on Feb 27, 2009 12:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I agree with quidnunc, Bonjasky is a very different fighter, his defense is a lot better than badr hari’s from my view, Badr tends to overwhelm and just beat down his opponents where as Bonjasky will move and cover up a lot more. I think Bonjasky will take this one.
by SGTBlitz on Feb 27, 2009 1:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yes Bonjasky should take this one.. his kicks and knees are worldclass, and he covers up very good too.. Badr gets too wild at times, and weighs around 210 and fought a HUGE Overeem at 253 or something..
by RoB on Feb 27, 2009 1:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Remy, please smash Overeem back into obscurity.
by Ballam on Feb 27, 2009 12:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
the only thing Remy needs to do is to move around and throw his kicks, and he’s got this one.. Badr shoud’ve worked the jab and kicked the hell out of Overeem too
by RoB on Feb 27, 2009 1:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Remy is my favorite K-1 fighter and I will never root against him. WAR BONJASKY!
by Bill Maher on Feb 27, 2009 2:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
How can you respect a steroid user like Overeem? He is the most obvious user of steroids i have ever seen in martial arts.
by Lester the Pimp on Feb 27, 2009 2:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
the most obvious? i dout that, how about people that have actually been busted using them.
by roy on Feb 27, 2009 3:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I cant wait to see Remy Take Allisters head off with a high kick or flying knee.
by the spyder on Feb 27, 2009 5:34 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Remy is good, but he acted like a baby in that fight against Hari. Yes, Hari rushed a downed opponent and threw a few punches and a stomp at Bonjasky while he was downed (illegal in K-1), but none of those strikes really landed and Remy acted his way to the WGP crown. Overeem’s boxing has gotten a lot better, and I could see him knocking off Remy’s head, and vice versa. It will also be good to see Le Banner back in action, I hope he KO’s Texeira, not that I have anything against the guy, but LeBanner hasn’t had a good KO win in a while.
As for the steroid allegations, Overeem was a Corey Hill at Lightheavyweight, tall and lanky. He stopped cutting weight and began working at purely heavyweight. This hasn’t happened overnight, he’s been getting bigger and bigger since his last loss to Shogun in ‘07. There are plenty of fighters you could accuse of using steroids because of a massive increase in muscle and size, Marquardt was skinny as hell when he fought middleweight in Pancrase, and do we need mention the current UFC heavyweight champ? Lesnar was arrested with HGH mistaken for being Steroids wasn’t he? And all those years in the WWE, can you be sure he didn’t take anything like everyone else in that soap opera marketed as combat sport?
by Belisarius on Feb 27, 2009 6:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
great, well thought out, knowledgable post bellisarius, the overeem steroid allegations are fruitless and until any evidence is produced, all the accusations do is show the ignorance of some fans
by brendan on Feb 27, 2009 7:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
there’s nothing wrong in accusing someone doing steroids or HGH.. that’s just the way it goes, it’s a part of sports and will always be..
by RoB on Feb 27, 2009 9:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Remy is more of a kicker/knee type of kickboxer, it will be interesting to see how Overeem diversifys his largely boxing style to compete with the faster Remy.
I’ve always liked Remy but anytime he is in a situation where he gets fouled he usually rides out a DQ win.
by DirtyML on Feb 27, 2009 7:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
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