Demolition Plan: At UFC 156, Will Alistair Overeem Break Bigfoot or Crush the UFC’s Heavyweight Hopes?

By Raphael Garcia

Often in sports we see an athlete who has the perfect nickname. Michael Jordan had “Air,” Deion Sanders had “Prime Time,” and there are many others. Calling Alistair Overeem “Demolition Man” isn’t just a way to let people know that he destroys his opponents, because going into UFC 156, he has the potential to destroy an entire division.

This weekend, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will welcome back one of the biggest heavyweights in the company, when Alistair Overeem steps into the Octagon for the second time. “Demolition Man” is facing Antonio Silva in what many believe is a title eliminator for the former Strikeforce and DREAM Heavyweight champion. Looking at the division as a whole, it is clear that the UFC is hoping for Overeem to win, and win in exciting fashion.

Since bringing Alistair over from Strikeforce at the end of 2011, the UFC has been dead set on getting him into the title picture. The opportunity was supposed to come in 2012 at UFC 146, but mishaps with the Nevada State Athletic Commission forced Overeem off the card and into a six-month suspension. Instead of just welcoming the Netherlands native back into the fold with an immediate title shot, the company has decided to match him against “Bigfoot” at UFC 156.

But what happens if Alistair isn’t able to pull off the win? He hasn’t competed since December of 2011, and in the past we’ve seen fighters give sluggish performances when coming back from a year away from the cage. If Overeem doesn’t get his hand raised, the UFC has a serious concern on their hands when it comes to finding a competitor to face current champion Cain Velasquez. It wasn’t that long ago that fight fans watched as Cain bathed Silva in his own blood, so it is too soon to give “Bigfoot” another crack at the sport’s top heavyweight.

The heavyweight division has always been the most watched division in combat sports, but it has also been the most devoid of talent. Beyond Overeem, the only other true contender that the UFC could offer at some point in 2013 would be Daniel Cormier, who is due to face Frank Mir in April at UFC on Fox 7, and who has indicated on more than one occasion that he would rather change weight classes and face Jon Jones than challenge his AKA teammate and close training partner. A victory by Silva would slow down the momentum that the weight class has garnered since Cain regained the title from Velasquez back in December at UFC 155.

Alistair is everything that the UFC could want in a heavyweight contender. At 6’5, 256 pounds, he looks like something out of the latest Street Fighter video game rather than a real life human being. The popularity of his YouTube series “The Reem” shows that he knows how to market himself outside of the cage. And as a bonus, he has the striking skills to deliver a highlight reel knockout at a moment’s notice. However, many have wondered the limits of his abilities because he hasn’t truly faced heavyweight competitors that are considered “UFC caliber” during his recent run that has seen him undefeated since 2007.

With a victory, Alistair Overeem can fill a much-needed role in the UFC’s heavyweight division, a weight class that has already been the beneficiary of the Strikeforce talent infusion, yet still finds itself bereft of top-tier talent. Cain Velasquez has already proved himself a cut above the heavyweight fray, and if Overeem loses on Saturday night, he falls back into the pack. The stakes for the UFC are clear: either Overeem demolishes Bigfoot, or he demolishes their plans for the heavyweight division in 2013.