In his negotiations with Zuffa, Overeem is taking a risk and a historcially unsuccessful approach.
On Monday afternoon, Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem stated he will not be participating in the Sept. 10 show, which just so happens to be the semi-finals of the Heavyweight Grand Prix.
Overeem (35-11-1), who is coming off a victory over Fabricio Werdum (14-5-1) in the quarter finals, was expected to take on Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva (16-2). With his withdrawal, the organization has announced that undefeated wrestling standout, Daniel Cormier (8-0), an alternate in the tournament, will step in to replace Overeem.
Overeem said that Sept. 10 wasn't the date he agreed upon, and would prefer to compete in October. UFC President Dana White did not select the date and was only honouring what was chosen by Strikeforce's television partner in the U.S.
Media reports have both parties offering different sides to the story, with Overeem hinting his contract (which apparently only has one fight left on it) allows him to compete elsewhere, and will choose to exercise this right, with options including other MMA promotions, the right to compete in kickboxing, and recently, hinting at entering the realm of boxing.
White stated that Overeem is a Strikeforce fighter and looked forward to the champion's injured "pinky toe" healing soon, so he can return to action. Many believe that this was Dana being Dana, and was perhaps taking a shot at Alistair's character.
The third side of the story is likely the truth, and it's where one should read between the lines.
If Overeem wanted to fight, he would do so in a heartbeat. He's a monster, and if motivated enough, would probably show up hiding a broken arm if he had to. There is no challenge that "The Demolition Man" would back down from, unless, that challenge is, of course, negotiations. At the moment, there is a belief that this is the real fight amongst Team Overeem, who are jockeying for a new deal before their client steps into a Zuffa-promoted bout.
The majority of fighters and their management know where to draw the line, when it comes to challenging White and the UFC. Although, tt appears Overeem is not in that majority. It looks as if he'll be happier to walk away, no matter what the consequences are. He is a marketable commodity, not just in North America, but also overseas. His popularity in Japan is immense, and with that type of fame, comes large financial compensation.
Unlike others, Overeem has options that can be exercised quickly. K-1 is rumoured to be making a return, as well as many others. There are options there for the taking, while others have to play their cards right.
As an example, look at Nate Marquardt, who has yet to sign with any organization willing to pay what his representation is asking for (then again, there may be a separate strategy that Team Marquardt may be working on, but that's a discussion for another day). If Overeem wants it, he will likely have his name headline an MMA or Kickboxing event tomorrow, somewhere, as long as he gets paid.
Overeem's original opponent, Silva, recently stated that Alistair's decision is questionable, with many fans chiming in via social media. There are those upset with the situation, while others are not surprised.
No matter which way you look at it, there's a situation that is pointing to a very nasty battle between "Ubereem" and Zuffa. There's a very good chance we may have seen the last of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, competing under the Zuffa banner. Look for him to return back to Japan, as well as other promotions around the world. It appears as if the question will never be answered: how would he do against the UFC Heavyweight Champion?
A quick analysis, based on historical trends in the behaviours of each party, foreshadows a gloom scenario, one which we have already seen before. It was called Zuffa vs. Fedor, and the outcome often favours the former.
The UFC has positioned its brand so strongly that no fighter is bigger than the organization. If Overeem chooses to walk, look for White to gladly open the door, while politely making "The Demolition Man's" life, as miserable as possible.
In a perfect world, the two parties can work out their differences and we could all see "The Reem" return to action. But if you mess around, history has shown that Zuffa will eventually bury you in the process.
