LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 11: Matt Hughes gives his introduction speech for BJ Penn before he is inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame at the UFC Fan Expo in the Sands Expo and Convention Center on July 11, 2015 in Las Vegas Nevada. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
How are Donald Cerrone, Wanderlei Silva and Urijah Faber Hall-of-Famers when Pride, Strikeforce, DREAM, K-1 and UFC legend Alistair Overeem isn’t?
I spoke to Overeem about this and he offered an interesting answer. Let’s talk MMA.
Key Facts at a Glance
- MMA record: 47-19 with 1 no-contest
- UFC record: 12-8 across nearly a decade
- Titles held: Strikeforce heavyweight, DREAM heavyweight, 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix
- UFC debut: first-round finish of Brock Lesnar at UFC 141, December 2011
- Released: March 2021, after a TKO loss to Alexander Volkov
- Retired: October 2023, age 43
- UFC Hall of Fame status: not inducted, and eligible under Modern Era rules
Why Isn’t Alistair Overeem In The UFC Hall Of Fame?
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 07: Alistair Overeem of Netherlands stands in his corner between rounds of his heavyweight bout against Jairzinho Rozenstruik of Suriname during the UFC Fight Night event at Capital One Arena on December 07, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Overeem does not think the answer is on paper.
“Well, I think that the UFC Hall of Fame all has to do with, if you are on Dana White’s favorite list,” he said. “If he likes you, then you’re on there. And if he doesn’t like you, you’re not going to be on there. Well, in my case, I’m not on there. So I guess he doesn’t like me.”
I carefully pressed on how a Hall can hold his résumé against those already inducted, he narrowed it further. “I think Dana also knows his stuff, but then it’s just, yeah. It just comes down to the ego thing.”
How Did Overeem’s UFC Run End?
He traces it to the signing rather than the exit. Talks between his management and White collapsed in 2011, and the deal only closed when Lorenzo Fertitta stepped in.
“And I think, yeah, somehow that rubbed him the wrong way or something,” Overeem said. “Cannot see in the man’s mind.”
The finish was blunt. Overeem was released roughly three months short of ten years with the promotion, immediately after a loss, and just after turning down a proposed reduction.
“We want to give you like a pay reduction of 50%,” he recalled being told. “I’m like, no. Why would I do that? And then I lost. And then they released me.”
The loss he’s referring to came against Alexander Volkov in February 2021.
He added something more telling than the release itself. “We don’t have personal relationship. The guy never, we’re not even talking. Which to me is weird. Because I’m like one of the higher paid athletes.”
Who Has Alistair Overeem Beaten?
Sure, he has 19 losses. But he also has 47 wins and when you take a look at the list of names Overeem has beaten, how can he not be in the Hall?
- HOF – Vitor Belfort (twice)
- Sergei Kharitonov
- Mark Hunt (twice)
- Gary Goodridge
- Fabricio Werdum (twice)
- Brock Lesnar
- Frank Mir
- Stefan Struve
- Roy Nelson
- Junior dos Santos
- Andrei Arlovski
- Sergei Pavlovich
- Alexey Oleynik
One of those fighters (Belfort) is already in the UFC Hall and it’s possible we could see Werdum, Lesnar, Mir and dos Santos inducted at some point.
Does The Snub Bother Him?
Not enough to chase it.
“Listen, I have fought for a long time. And I’ve dealt with people that don’t like me for a long time,” Overeem said. “I’m not bothered by it. I just cruise on with my life. I just describe it as you can’t be friends with everyone. Ultimately if somebody does me dirty, they always pay the price.”
He allowed one concession. “Of course, everybody would like to be Hall of Famer. I was with them for 10 years. But if it’s not yet, it’s not up to me.”
Then the line that says the most about how little airtime this has gotten: “This is the most I’ve been talking about the hall of fame ever in my life.”
Maybe that’s the problem.