
Brock
Lesnar will return to the UFC octagon in a five-round main event Dec.
30 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, facing newly signed former Strikeforce
heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.
"Brock is a big name, a dangerous guy, and this is a dream matchup,"
Overeem told The Times on Tuesday, just after signing a standard UFC
fight contract in the office of Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta. "Brock's a
big guy, an exciting wrestler with his takedowns.
"I want to see this fight myself. Overall, I'm a different fighter. A
striker, athletic, big. These are going to be two big trucks going at
it on a collision course."
The 6-foot-5, 260-pound Overeem, 31, is a former K-1 kickboxing
champion too, He most recently defended his Strikeforce belt in June
with a unanimous decision over takedown specialist Fabrio Werdum, who
had previously defeated Fedor Emelianenko.
Lesnar has been out of action since losing his UFC heavyweight belt to
Cain Velasquez in October at Anaheim's Honda Center, suffering a return
episode of the intestinal ailment diverticulitis.
The Dec. 30 winner will be first in line to fight the winner of a Nov. 12 fight between Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos.
"This is the fight the fans want," UFC President Dana White said.
"Both of these guys are monsters. Can Lesnar take Overeem down?"
Fertitta said the Strikeforce belt won't be part of the promotion. The UFC has purchased Strikeforce.
"Our thinking when we bought Strikeforce was to give fans the fights
they want," Fertitta said. "Obviously, Alistair's one of the best
heavyweights in the world, but he also has that 'it' factor -- the
tremendous look, he's huge. It's a star factor."
Overeem said he's exploring setting up training headquarters in Los Angeles.