Alistair Overeem came up big at UFC Beijing, but is ‘The Demolition Man’ ready for a rematch with Francis Ngannou?
Overeem snapped a two-fight losing skid with an authoritative TKO win over UFC newcomer Sergey Pavlovian in the co-main event, finishing the Russian with a barrage of ground-and-pound at 4:21 of the first round.
Ngannou, who KO’d Overeem in 2017, also came up big in the UFC Fight Night 141 main event, crumpling Curtis Blaydes with a vicious overhand right and following up with a surge of lefts and rights to secure the TKO victory.
With both men earning first-round stoppages, Overeem thinks it only make sense that the UFC should book a rematch.
“Tonight was a short night,” Overeem said at the UFC Fight Night 141 post-fight press conference (h/t news.com.au). “I have a lot of respect for Francis Ngannou, but, yes, I’m very ready for a second fight with him.”
It took Ngannou just 1:42 to knockout Overeem at UFC 218, but ‘The Reem’ promises a different outcome in the proposed heavyweight rematch.
“I can promise you the second fight will be different from the first fight,” he continued. “I made changes to my camp, I feel very energised, very motivated. The second fight will be different from the first fight, I guarantee that.”