Hand injury to blame for absence of Alistair Overeem at June 6 Strikeforce card

by Jesse Holland on May 21, 2009 11:46 AM EDT

It was the perfect time to return.

After acquiring select Pro Elite assets earlier this year following the fall of Elite XC, Strikeforce forged ahead with a beefed-up roster and a renewed fan interest on the heels a new deal with CBS and Showtime.

Current Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem was expected to defend his title for the first time since obliterating Paul Buentello way back in November of 2007.

His undefeated challenger, Brett Rogers, was coming off a thrashing of "Abongo" Humphries at "Shamrock vs. Diaz" on April 11. He was ready to test himself against the menacing Overeem, and both fans and media considered it a done deal.

Then nothing happened.

No official announcement, no press conference, just silence.

Now Strikeforce officials have confirmed with MMAmania.com that "Demolition Man" suffered a hand injury during training and was unable to be ready in time for June 6.

Enter Andrei Arlovski.

Before fans even had a chance to mourn the loss of Overeem's presence in St. Louis, they were rewarded with one of the most popular and successful heavyweight fighters in the past five years.

One door closes, another door opens.

"The Pitbull" is on loan from Affliction to see if Rogers is in fact the real deal. They'll clash in a special attraction on the main card, which is headlined by "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler taking on Jake Shields.

Overeem is currently on the mend and is expected to return to action towards the end of the summer. If there is a God (and he digs MMA), maybe it will be against the winner of Arlovski/Rogers.

Hey, a guy can dream.

For more on Strikeforce: "Lawler vs. Shields" click here.

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Comments

That would be awesome, an Arlovski vs Overeem match would kick @ss! Just the kind of main event that Strikeforce needs.

by O damn he got caught on May 21, 2009 11:51 AM EDT reply actions

Amen to that!

by attakdog on May 21, 2009 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions

HELL YEA

by Stone Cold Steve Austin on May 21, 2009 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Here some more…Don’t say that i never did anything to help you get thru your awful day!Also click on my name!

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma.cfm?go=forum.posts&forum=1&thread=872418&page=1

by Alpha Male 360 on May 21, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL, thanks Alpha I needed a good laugh

by O damn he got caught on May 21, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Arlovski would catch Overeem before Overeem cathes Arlovski.

He is faster and a crisper puncher.

Damn I’d love to see this one, though.

by Jeremyjackson on May 21, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed!AA with his boxing and sambo should beat Overeem kick boxing!
That,would be an awesome fight!!!

by Alpha Male 360 on May 21, 2009 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

It would probably be the two best strikers at the HW division facing each other.

by scott on May 21, 2009 11:55 AM EDT reply actions

witht that said it wouldn’t make it out of the first somebody would get KO

by scott on May 21, 2009 11:57 AM EDT reply actions

Probably AA, his Errol Flynn’s a bit suspect.

by attakdog on May 21, 2009 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions

agreed allistair has a questionable chin too but i think its due to the fact that he gasses right away and leaves himself open to big shots. cant call this fight but my guy tells me allistair

by Clinton Jackson (formerly Jared) on May 21, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Overeem too. Freddie Roach well overrates AA’s boxing and how important it is to MMA. I think AA would believe the smoke Freddie Roach blows up his ass and try and trade with Overeem, and end up being KO’d by the more rounded striker.

by attakdog on May 21, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions

i don’t know it would be close either could lose but i would lean toward aa, overeem has maybe a worse chin aa has only been knock out by some of the heaviest hitting hw’s.

by roy on May 21, 2009 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions

datsik ?… im a fan of arlovski but he can get ko’d by any punch clean on the chin

by Clinton Jackson (formerly Jared) on May 21, 2009 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Not having Showtime is really pissing me off. June 6th is an incredible card.

by BNF on May 21, 2009 11:57 AM EDT reply actions

The only thing I watch on Showtime is Strikeforce and Elitexc re runs. I had cancelled when pro elit went under, then reordered when strikeforce struck a deal. i have been wondering if showtime’s buys have been higher due to mma fans wanting to watch strikeforce.

by James S on May 21, 2009 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Hand injury eh? Sounds fishy to me.
He probably can’t pass illegal substance test yet, when that clears we’ll see him back. Just speculations.

by Hooner on May 21, 2009 11:58 AM EDT reply actions

he passed it enough to win the title in the first place.

by JB on May 21, 2009 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Takes time for the roids to leave your system.

by markemark on May 21, 2009 12:02 PM EDT reply actions

possible overeem thought process: “oh shit the states… gotta allow some time for the nandrolone to cycle out…..”????

i see it

by sanshouer on May 21, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Only a matter of time before he gets caught out.

by Nick on May 21, 2009 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Poor Rogers… He is going to get absolutely bludgeoned by AA. AA by first round tooling!!

by Cole on May 21, 2009 12:20 PM EDT reply actions

how unfortunate that DemolitionMan injured his hand.I really wanted to see him defend his title.atleast strikeforce has found a quality replacement,thePitbull Andrei Arlovski.ihs fight againt the Grim Brett rogers should be awesome.
can’t wait for June 6

by the Levi on May 21, 2009 12:20 PM EDT reply actions

Or just a one sided beat down

by O damn he got caught on May 21, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions

HELL YEA !

by Stone Cold Steve Austin on May 21, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions

i wish alistair would go to the UFC. i know it’s not that easy though.

by chris on May 21, 2009 12:25 PM EDT reply actions

Overeem Vs Arlovski is def an exciting prospect.

Id love to see them both in UFC. With the UFCs heavyweight division picking up nicely, think of the matches these could have in the UFC HW mix now.

by UK_Chris on May 21, 2009 12:26 PM EDT reply actions

Alistair and his brother Valentijn got into an argument with security guards @ a beach party, they both got arrested because 5 security guys ended up in the hospital, and Alistair´s hand got cut and later got infected…. it was in the news over here in Holland

by Jantje on May 21, 2009 3:03 PM EDT reply actions

all people calling “hand injury” as roids the hand injury was not during training it was in a fight with bouncers in holland. him and his brother were attacked in a club by basically all the bouncers after they didnt have enough money to pay the toilet attendant (they said they would come back to pay her!).

btw 5 bouncers ended up in hospital then tried to say that the overeem bros attacked them unprovoked!

by mrajwt on May 21, 2009 3:15 PM EDT reply actions

also the hand was apparently badly infected (most probably a wound recieved from a bouncers tooth) and if it had not been treated for much longer he would have lost it!

by mrajwt on May 21, 2009 3:17 PM EDT reply actions