The last thing Alistair Overeem needed was any sort of performance enhancing drug testing snafu heading into the biggest fight of his career in the U.S. But that's exactly what happened to the behemoth from Holland.
Overeem, his camp and the Nevada State Athletic Commission had some communications issues. When the NSAC asked for a random drug test sample in mid-November, there was a five-day lapse, the incorrect sample was sent in and it was done by Overeem's personal physician administered the original test. It's all been worked out, Overeem satisfied the state's requirement and his fight against Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 is on, but it just adds another odd chapter for folks who are suspicious over the fighter's enormous growth since 2007.
"You can't get bothered too much by all the stuff that's written," Overeem told the Boston Herald. "To be honest, I don't really have time to read it all because training takes a lot of energy. All the activities that come with being a fighter and fighting at this level take a lot of my energy, so I don't have enough time to read it all."
At 6-foot-5, Overeem always had the frame to add more weight, but his gain from a 205-pounder to around 256 has been amazing in just four years.
"Some of it's not nice and people accuse you of stuff and hate a little bit. But if you're going to be in this position, there will always be people who love you and there will always be people who hate you," Overeem said.
"The Reem" is 10-1 since his move to heavyweight. There's a case to be made that he's become a better fighter now that he's not stripping himself down to make 205. In any case, the extra weight allows him to square off against those perceived by casual fans as the biggest and baddest in the sport.
"I think the fight between Brock and me is a dream fight," Overeem said. "I never thought about the possibility of me fighting him in the UFC. I was fighting outside of the UFC and I didn't see the fight coming, maybe ever. The way things went, I'm very happy I got the opportunity."
Of course, the argument could also be made that a 225-pound Overeem might stand a better shot against the gargantuan Lesnar. Speed, movement and technique, not pure power has been the path to beating the former WWE star during his short MMA career.
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