Wheelie
19-04-2006, 20:11
Back to Heavyweight: Interview with Alistair "Demolition Man" Overeem
By Takimoto
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Looking back into this tough Dutch fighter and Golden Glory representative Alistair Overeem; you notice that almost his all fights were disputed in the heavyweight division. Some changes into his fight career turned his focus and weight to the middleweight division of Pride FC. Two attempts of conquering the middleweight belts were stopped respectively by Chuck Liddell in 2003 and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in 2005. Fans got surprised when we saw Alistair's name into the recently created open-weight tournament even after his recent victory over top three heavyweight Sergey Kharitonov. So this Alistair's official return to the heavyweight division, which could be a triumphant return if he can go deep into the tournament. MaxFighting was recently able to catch up with Alistair after his last fight.
MaxFighting: You fought Sanjin Kadunc at WCFC in UK last March 18th. What did you think about your performance there?
Alistair Overeem: Kadunc was an unknown opponent, who I think is a tough fighter, I struck him a couple of times really hard and he did not want to give up, so
respect for him!
MaxFighting: Well Alistair, how did you feel about being back to fighting as a heavyweight?
Alistair Overeem: I feel myself well being a heavyweight; it is very natural for me as I fought in the heavyweight before I entered Pride. Now I do not have the burden of losing a lot of weight before a fight, which cost me a lot of power every time. Now I
am aloud to eat! [laughs]And I like to eat!
MaxFighting: Which kind of problems did you face to go up in the weight? I mean to gain weight?
Alistair Overeem: None, because as I said before, I am a natural heavyweight the only thing I do is eat! Alot of beef!
MaxFighting: You were a RINGS fighter, and there you fought as a heavyweight. Did you bring the experience of those fights to your last one against
Sergey Kharitonov in Pride 31?
Alistair Overeem: Actually RINGS has been so long of a time ago..and things have changed a lot. I did bring my winning attitude into that fight.
MaxFighting: Which was your weight in that fight against Kharitonov? Do you think you can gain more weight?
Alistair Overeem: I weighed in at 102 kg, and I want to gain 3 more kilos. and like I said, gaining 3 more kilos is easily done for me without doing things that
could be bad for my health.
MaxFighting: Into those fight considered "open weigh matches" yours was considered the toughest one to the place that Kharitonov has in a virtual top 10 heavyweight ranking. How did you see yourself going in as kind of dark-horse in that fight?
Alistair Overeem: I think my fight was consider one of the toughest, but I did not bother me. A fight is a fight and my team has been preparing myself better and
better after my fight against Shogun.
MaxFighting: You have a similar height of Kharitonov, so the reach would not be an advantage to any of you two. Did you intend on trade punches against him? What did you have in mind when the fight was in stand-upposition?
Alistair Overeem: I was prepared to stand up with him, but also to take him down. I know Kharitonov for his excellent boxing technique, but we have many fighters in our gym with the same style as Kharitonov. I also know I am a better all round fighter.
MaxFighting: From what you observed from Kharitonov's prior fights, what did you collect to use against him?
Alistair Overeem: He is a 1-dimensional fighter, a strong and tough one, but 1 dimensional.
MaxFighting: What do you meant by 1 dimensional?
Alistair Overeem: Kharitonov fights one-way; that is what I meant with 1 dimensional.
MaxFighting: Kharitonov already faced some of the toughest heavyweight in Pride, what did this victory over him represent to you? I know you are glad but did it erase your defeat in Pride middleweight tournament of last year?
Alistair Overeem: Every fight is important for me, and it did not erase my defeat, but it did make a statement that I am still a guy to look out for.
MaxFighting: Like I mentioned, you've a good height.Do you intend on becoming a heavyweight fighter since now?
Alistair Overeem: Yes, I will stay in the heavyweight division for now. My skeleton can easily support a couple of extra kilos without me losing speed andcondition.
MaxFighting: Personally talking about Alistair?Which are the bad and good points on being a heavyweight fighter and which are the bad and good
points on being a middleweight fighter?
Alistair Overeem: Good points are, you hit harder; the bad point: they hit harder [laughs]
MaxFighting: What do you think about this category titled OPEN WEIGHT?
Alistair Overeem: I think it will be very interesting on who will be this title. I have been training very hard last and this year. So I am betting on myself!
MaxFighting: From the defeats that you had in Pride, I mention Rogerio Nogueira, Chuck Liddell and Mauricio Shogun. So would you like to re-match any of them, and besides the fact you lost what would motivate you to want a re-match?
Alistair Overeem: I would like a rematch with any of them, but right now that is not my priority. I am training hard on improving myself and when the time comes, there will be rematches...or not. For now I just want to win this tournament. We will see after that what happens. Also, I think that a rematch with any of these fighters will result in a different outcome as I have grown to be a more complete fighter.
MaxFighting: Personally, I think you could beat them three by different reason, so let me ask you. Did you gas against Rogerio and Shogun?
Alistair Overeem: I think the weight cutting cost me a lot of energy. Also prior to these fights I felt ill; these two factors can couse you to lose a fight.
MaxFighting: When I talked about Overeem x Liddell, I have to mention - why did you put your hands down in that moment? Did not you believe he could land a bomb
which could dizzy you?
Alistair Overeem: Arrogance
MaxFighting: And now Overeem, are you going to fight at Pride 5/5?
Alistair Overeem: You will have to wait and see
MaxFighting: If now, DSE calls you and tell:- "Overeem, choose your next opponent for an open weight match". Against which fighter would you like to test your skills?
Alistair Overeem: [a pause, thinking] I would say... I do not know... there all tough guys. Anybody would be ok!
By Takimoto
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Looking back into this tough Dutch fighter and Golden Glory representative Alistair Overeem; you notice that almost his all fights were disputed in the heavyweight division. Some changes into his fight career turned his focus and weight to the middleweight division of Pride FC. Two attempts of conquering the middleweight belts were stopped respectively by Chuck Liddell in 2003 and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in 2005. Fans got surprised when we saw Alistair's name into the recently created open-weight tournament even after his recent victory over top three heavyweight Sergey Kharitonov. So this Alistair's official return to the heavyweight division, which could be a triumphant return if he can go deep into the tournament. MaxFighting was recently able to catch up with Alistair after his last fight.
MaxFighting: You fought Sanjin Kadunc at WCFC in UK last March 18th. What did you think about your performance there?
Alistair Overeem: Kadunc was an unknown opponent, who I think is a tough fighter, I struck him a couple of times really hard and he did not want to give up, so
respect for him!
MaxFighting: Well Alistair, how did you feel about being back to fighting as a heavyweight?
Alistair Overeem: I feel myself well being a heavyweight; it is very natural for me as I fought in the heavyweight before I entered Pride. Now I do not have the burden of losing a lot of weight before a fight, which cost me a lot of power every time. Now I
am aloud to eat! [laughs]And I like to eat!
MaxFighting: Which kind of problems did you face to go up in the weight? I mean to gain weight?
Alistair Overeem: None, because as I said before, I am a natural heavyweight the only thing I do is eat! Alot of beef!
MaxFighting: You were a RINGS fighter, and there you fought as a heavyweight. Did you bring the experience of those fights to your last one against
Sergey Kharitonov in Pride 31?
Alistair Overeem: Actually RINGS has been so long of a time ago..and things have changed a lot. I did bring my winning attitude into that fight.
MaxFighting: Which was your weight in that fight against Kharitonov? Do you think you can gain more weight?
Alistair Overeem: I weighed in at 102 kg, and I want to gain 3 more kilos. and like I said, gaining 3 more kilos is easily done for me without doing things that
could be bad for my health.
MaxFighting: Into those fight considered "open weigh matches" yours was considered the toughest one to the place that Kharitonov has in a virtual top 10 heavyweight ranking. How did you see yourself going in as kind of dark-horse in that fight?
Alistair Overeem: I think my fight was consider one of the toughest, but I did not bother me. A fight is a fight and my team has been preparing myself better and
better after my fight against Shogun.
MaxFighting: You have a similar height of Kharitonov, so the reach would not be an advantage to any of you two. Did you intend on trade punches against him? What did you have in mind when the fight was in stand-upposition?
Alistair Overeem: I was prepared to stand up with him, but also to take him down. I know Kharitonov for his excellent boxing technique, but we have many fighters in our gym with the same style as Kharitonov. I also know I am a better all round fighter.
MaxFighting: From what you observed from Kharitonov's prior fights, what did you collect to use against him?
Alistair Overeem: He is a 1-dimensional fighter, a strong and tough one, but 1 dimensional.
MaxFighting: What do you meant by 1 dimensional?
Alistair Overeem: Kharitonov fights one-way; that is what I meant with 1 dimensional.
MaxFighting: Kharitonov already faced some of the toughest heavyweight in Pride, what did this victory over him represent to you? I know you are glad but did it erase your defeat in Pride middleweight tournament of last year?
Alistair Overeem: Every fight is important for me, and it did not erase my defeat, but it did make a statement that I am still a guy to look out for.
MaxFighting: Like I mentioned, you've a good height.Do you intend on becoming a heavyweight fighter since now?
Alistair Overeem: Yes, I will stay in the heavyweight division for now. My skeleton can easily support a couple of extra kilos without me losing speed andcondition.
MaxFighting: Personally talking about Alistair?Which are the bad and good points on being a heavyweight fighter and which are the bad and good
points on being a middleweight fighter?
Alistair Overeem: Good points are, you hit harder; the bad point: they hit harder [laughs]
MaxFighting: What do you think about this category titled OPEN WEIGHT?
Alistair Overeem: I think it will be very interesting on who will be this title. I have been training very hard last and this year. So I am betting on myself!
MaxFighting: From the defeats that you had in Pride, I mention Rogerio Nogueira, Chuck Liddell and Mauricio Shogun. So would you like to re-match any of them, and besides the fact you lost what would motivate you to want a re-match?
Alistair Overeem: I would like a rematch with any of them, but right now that is not my priority. I am training hard on improving myself and when the time comes, there will be rematches...or not. For now I just want to win this tournament. We will see after that what happens. Also, I think that a rematch with any of these fighters will result in a different outcome as I have grown to be a more complete fighter.
MaxFighting: Personally, I think you could beat them three by different reason, so let me ask you. Did you gas against Rogerio and Shogun?
Alistair Overeem: I think the weight cutting cost me a lot of energy. Also prior to these fights I felt ill; these two factors can couse you to lose a fight.
MaxFighting: When I talked about Overeem x Liddell, I have to mention - why did you put your hands down in that moment? Did not you believe he could land a bomb
which could dizzy you?
Alistair Overeem: Arrogance
MaxFighting: And now Overeem, are you going to fight at Pride 5/5?
Alistair Overeem: You will have to wait and see
MaxFighting: If now, DSE calls you and tell:- "Overeem, choose your next opponent for an open weight match". Against which fighter would you like to test your skills?
Alistair Overeem: [a pause, thinking] I would say... I do not know... there all tough guys. Anybody would be ok!