Fan1976
15-02-2011, 13:47
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/4474/valentijnovereemalistai.jpg
Brother vs. brother is one fight several major promotions have tried – and failed – to put together. It's an easy sell on the business side, but not so much for the family involved. Plus, there's often a weight class or two between siblings.
Still, there have been a few willing participants. The most popular example to American MMA fans is Ken Shamrock vs. Frank Shamrock, who were raised by the same adoptive father but aren't related by blood. The matchup fizzled when the two sides couldn't come to terms on the particulars of a fight contract.
Strikeforce could be the first promotion to get brother vs. brother done, and it looks like they've got two willing participants if the stars correctly align: Strikeforce heavyweight champion and heavyweight grand-prix competitor Alistair Overeem and his older brother, possible tourney alternate Valentijn Overeem.
The brothers say they'll get in the cage if the tournament format dictates they do so and if the fans want to see it. But there are many variables that stand in the way of the potential bout.
The older Overeem earned an alternate slot in the promotion's eight-man tournament with a victory over Ray Sefo this past Saturday at "Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Silva."
That potentially could put him in the path of his younger brother. While he expressed reservations about making the fight for a run-of-the-mill Strikeforce card, the tournament might be a different story.
"If I get thrown in the tournament, which I hope, and [I] win the fights and he wins the fights, it's inevitable, I guess," Valentijn said.
At the same time, he downplayed its likelihood.
"It's far away still," Valentijn said. "I wouldn't go as far as saying it would happen. It might happen. If it happened, we're going to keep it exciting. We just have to wait and see what happens."
The younger Overeem didn't seem as cautious. Asked whether he could fight his brother the same way he did an ordinary opponent, Alistair said it would be no different.
"For me, I'm a professional ... in the ring, a cage or a fight," he said. "Like my brother said, it's far away, but I'm a professional. If [fans] want to see that fight and they pay money for a ticket, you give them what they want. I mean, we fight every day in the gym, and he kicked my ass several – more than several – times."
Could it be that Alistair is looking for a little payback for all those childhood noogies? Even if that's the case, he must first defeat Fabricio Werdum in the quarterfinals of the heavyweight grand prix, which takes place April 9 at a date and location to be announced. Werdum owns a submission win over him four years prior and has promised the result will be the same.
Strikeforce CEO Coker added that the Strikeforce tournament committee, which is headed by Strikeforce rules director Cory Schafer, ultimately will decide who among the three tournament alternates victorious this past Saturday. Overeem, Chad Griggs ot Shane Del Rosario gets a call to participate if one of the six remaining regulars is unable to compete. Additionally, the executive cleared the way for Fedor Emelianenko to step in if he decides not to retire.
So it's a long shot, to say the least.
"I think that would be really tough," said Coker of Overeem vs. Overeem. "I'm sure they've had their rumbles growing up, but I think we should keep that in the house and not in the cage. So, I think that would be a last resort."
For his part, older brother Valentijn said he's let go of any sibling rivalry.
"That was a long time ago," he said.
Brother vs. brother is one fight several major promotions have tried – and failed – to put together. It's an easy sell on the business side, but not so much for the family involved. Plus, there's often a weight class or two between siblings.
Still, there have been a few willing participants. The most popular example to American MMA fans is Ken Shamrock vs. Frank Shamrock, who were raised by the same adoptive father but aren't related by blood. The matchup fizzled when the two sides couldn't come to terms on the particulars of a fight contract.
Strikeforce could be the first promotion to get brother vs. brother done, and it looks like they've got two willing participants if the stars correctly align: Strikeforce heavyweight champion and heavyweight grand-prix competitor Alistair Overeem and his older brother, possible tourney alternate Valentijn Overeem.
The brothers say they'll get in the cage if the tournament format dictates they do so and if the fans want to see it. But there are many variables that stand in the way of the potential bout.
The older Overeem earned an alternate slot in the promotion's eight-man tournament with a victory over Ray Sefo this past Saturday at "Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Silva."
That potentially could put him in the path of his younger brother. While he expressed reservations about making the fight for a run-of-the-mill Strikeforce card, the tournament might be a different story.
"If I get thrown in the tournament, which I hope, and [I] win the fights and he wins the fights, it's inevitable, I guess," Valentijn said.
At the same time, he downplayed its likelihood.
"It's far away still," Valentijn said. "I wouldn't go as far as saying it would happen. It might happen. If it happened, we're going to keep it exciting. We just have to wait and see what happens."
The younger Overeem didn't seem as cautious. Asked whether he could fight his brother the same way he did an ordinary opponent, Alistair said it would be no different.
"For me, I'm a professional ... in the ring, a cage or a fight," he said. "Like my brother said, it's far away, but I'm a professional. If [fans] want to see that fight and they pay money for a ticket, you give them what they want. I mean, we fight every day in the gym, and he kicked my ass several – more than several – times."
Could it be that Alistair is looking for a little payback for all those childhood noogies? Even if that's the case, he must first defeat Fabricio Werdum in the quarterfinals of the heavyweight grand prix, which takes place April 9 at a date and location to be announced. Werdum owns a submission win over him four years prior and has promised the result will be the same.
Strikeforce CEO Coker added that the Strikeforce tournament committee, which is headed by Strikeforce rules director Cory Schafer, ultimately will decide who among the three tournament alternates victorious this past Saturday. Overeem, Chad Griggs ot Shane Del Rosario gets a call to participate if one of the six remaining regulars is unable to compete. Additionally, the executive cleared the way for Fedor Emelianenko to step in if he decides not to retire.
So it's a long shot, to say the least.
"I think that would be really tough," said Coker of Overeem vs. Overeem. "I'm sure they've had their rumbles growing up, but I think we should keep that in the house and not in the cage. So, I think that would be a last resort."
For his part, older brother Valentijn said he's let go of any sibling rivalry.
"That was a long time ago," he said.