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Money is the Reason Overeem is not Fighting Fedor in April, Shocker

MMAWeekly.com has some choice quotes from Bas Boon, Overeem's manager:

"I never said he wasn’t fighting in April," Overeem manager Bas Boon told MMAWeekly.com. "What I said was there will be a fight by the end of March or April in K-1, and actually, he did very well in K-1 and he’s got an extremely good contract. Commercial-wise, it’s better for him, and we agreed to this already on K-1, that we will do that fight. After that fight, he will fight in Strikeforce. Two, three times, whatever is available in May, June, July, we don’t care."

While I highly doubt Overeem will fight two or three times in Strikeforce over a three month span, the rest of the statement makes sense.  Ignoring the claims about Overeem juicing, if his K-1 contract is far superior why would he not fight for them?  As much as we the fans want to see Fedor/Overeem a fighter should look out for himself and if he can make better money and still take the Fedor fight later than that is probably the best course of action for him.

"In his own country, he [Overeem] had a crazy rating during the Grand Prix, but also on EuroSport and also in Thailand. And this is where the UFC isn’t even broadcast. UFC is not even broadcast in Europe. Nobody knows about the UFC. Semmy Schilt and Alistair Overeem are gods there. You’re talking about a continent with 280 million people.

K-1 may have a larger global fan base than MMA, but this is a fluff quote from a manager protecting his fighter.  The UFC is broadcast in parts of Europe and they have now held cards in Germany and England.  Their Australia card is one of the fastest sell outs in UFC history and that was with minimal promotion.  To make the claim that no one outside the United States knows the UFC is preposterous.  Also, we are not talking about the UFC; we are talking about a fight with Fedor.  With M-1 the fight would be broadcast across the world.  According to them (taken with pounds of salt) the Brett Rogers/Fedor fight was seen by over 25 million people worldwide.

Boon goes on to mention the advantages of delaying the fight which is building for a future PPV and that is technically true.  However, American fans would never have seen Overeeem fight and the whole build up would be on Fedor.  This is also assuming Fedor gets by Werdum.  While this is probable it is no way definite.  Hopefully Fedor gets through Werdum just so we can see if Overeem and Boon actually come to the United States to fight once his K-1 contract runs out.

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homie wants to get paid. nothing wrong with that.

he should be stripped of the belt though. its getting ridiculous now. werdum and fedor in april should be for the vacant title.

"Newspapermen ask dumb questions. They look up at the sun and ask if it is shining."
-Sonny Liston

@mikefareri on twitter.

by sonofapsycho on Dec 24, 2009 9:52 AM EST reply actions  

agreed on all fronts

"That's an Awfully Big Mustache"-Frank Drebin

watchkalibrun.com

by Zach Krantz on Dec 24, 2009 10:22 AM EST up reply actions  

Honestly this should’ve already be resolved and the Fedor/Rogers fight should’ve been for the title back in November.

by scrambledeggs on Dec 24, 2009 11:10 AM EST up reply actions  

if he is stripped of the belt would that free him up to sign with the UFC

by davec84 on Dec 24, 2009 2:11 PM EST reply actions  

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