Alistair Overeem is back ... but is he better than ever?
"Demolition Man" dropped bombs on fellow Dutchman Stefan Struve last Saturday night (Dec. 13, 2014), registering a technical knockout finish on the televised main card of UFC on FOX 13 from inside the US Airways Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.
See the video replay here.
The victory moved Overeem (38-14, 1 NC) back into the win column after he laid an egg last September, in what amounted to his third appearance inside the Octagon for 2014. As a result, "The Reem" told media members at the UFC on FOX 13 post-fight press conference (via MMA Junkie) that it's time for a long-overdue vacation.
But not just from fighting.
"A lot has happened. My life has been in high gear for the last six years. A lot has happened -- a lot of good and a lot of bad -- but here we are tonight with a very nice victory. It's an accumulation of a lot of years of hard work. I'm going to rest up, and I'm going to sit down with my coaches. I'm not going to take too long off, but I am going to take some time off. After the Rothwell fight, I didn't take time off, and now I feel it's time to go easy, go slow on the talk -- not talk too much."
Sounds like a plan.
Despite getting smoked by Ben Rothwell at UFC Fight Night 50, Overeem dismissed the loss by insisting he would "easily" beat "Big Ben" nine out of 10 times in a rematch. Naturally, that didn't sit too well with Rothwell, who criticized "Demolition Man" for talking the talk but failing to walk the walk.
Sounds like Overeem is going to try it the other way around for a change.