UFC Vegas 9, Alistair Overeem

Alistair Overeem signs multi-fight deal with Glory Kickboxing, expected to debut later this year

Alistair Overeem isn’t done with combat sports just yet.

According to a report from ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, the 41-year-old Overeem has signed a multi-fight deal with Glory Kickboxing.

The promotion also confirmed the news earlier this morning.

Overeem, a former UFC title challenger and a former Strikeforce and DREAM champion, is widely considered one of the best heavyweights to have ever competed in MMA. He made his debut in the UFC in 2011 when he scored a brutal first-round stoppage victory over former champion Brock Lesnar and went on to compile a 12-8 record in the promotion.

Recently, he won two of his previous three bouts, scoring TKO victories over Walt Harris and Augusto Sakai in 2020. However, after suffering a one-sided TKO loss to Alexander Volkov this past February, “The Demolition Man” parted ways with the UFC.

Despite his success in MMA, Overeem is no stranger to the kickboxing world. Although he hasn’t competed in the sport in over a decade, he holds a 10-4 record and famously won the K-1 World Grand Prix in December 2010.

As of this moment, a date and opponent have not yet been selected for Overeem’s Glory debut, but the Dutch-born combatant is expected to return to action later this year. As Helwani noted, potential matches against Glory heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven or Badr Hari, who Alistair Overeem has previously battled twice, would be massive events.

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Michael Henken
Long Island-based sports writer covering MMA, Boxing, and the New York Jets.