Alistair Overeem has recently emerged as the title threat that Mixed Martial Arts fans have been patiently waiting for since he made his UFC debut back in 2011 at UFC 141 against former UFC Champion, Brock Lesnar.
Overeem is currently riding a 4 fight win streak, capped by two impressive knockouts over former UFC Heavyweight champions Junior Dos Santos and most recently, Andrei Arlovski. Where he scored a highlight reel knock out out in front of his countrymen in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
With a Combat Sports resumé that featured multiple Dream and Strikeforce Heavyweight Titles and a K1 World Kickboxing Championship, it seemed like a matter of time until “The Reem” would be dominating the UFC Heavyweight division. Unfortunately for Overeem, this would not prove to be the case.
Not long ago, Alistair Overeem was only 1 win from 4 fights. Having suffered back to back knockout losses to Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva & Travis Browne before defeating Frank Mir, then suffering another knockout loss to Ben Rothwell. To say that the future was starting to look uncertain for ‘The Reem’ would have been an understatement.
In April of 2014 Alistair Overeem decided to make a change in training camp. Moving from the Blackzilians camp in Boca Raton, Florida to the Jackson-Winklejohn camp located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
With a fight roster featuring multiple big names such as Andrei Arlovski and current (Interim) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones; Jackson-Winklejohn has no shortage of world class training partners for Overeem to regularly test his skills against. As the saying goes, “iron sharpens iron”.
Greg Jackson & Mike Winkeljohn are widely regarded as masters of game planning and effective training. With their guidance and expertise, Overeem has undergone a positive change in fighting style coupled with a much needed change in mindset and attitude.
Prior to making the move to Jackson-Winklejohn, Overeem often showed a tendency to fight a very loose and attack focused fight, often leaving himself open to strikes. Unfortunately for “The Reem”, this poor defensive style would ultimately lead to multiple knockout loses.
Since making the move to Albuquerque, Alistair Overeem has incorporated more of a defensive focussed game plan and mindset. Slowly learning his opponents defensive tendencies, avoiding big shots, staying on the outside, then attacking when the opportunity presents itself. His recent fight against former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Junior Dos Santos was the most telling example of the new and improved Alistair Overeem mindset. This game planning would eventually lead to a similar knockout victory over fellow Jackson Winklejohn fighter, Andrei Arlovski.
This weekend, Alistair Overeem will put his new and improved attitude and fighting style to its biggest test yet. Challenging current UFC Heavyweight Champion, Stipe Miocic in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. After leaving a trail of former UFC Champions on his road to the title, confidence will be at an all time high for “The Reem”.
Thanks to the MMA genius of Greg Jackson & Mike Winkeljohn, along with regular access to world class training partners & staff and a positive change in attitude, we have seen the reemergence of arguably one of the greatest Heavyweight fighters in combat sports history.
The final chapter in the “resurrection of The Reem” will be written this weekend, as UFC 203 takes place live from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland Ohio.
