UFC 141 will feature a classic wrestler vs. striker matchup in Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem. Can Lesnar impose his will and smash Overeem into the mat? Or will Overeem keep Lesnar on his feet and knock him around with his kickboxing experience? Here are the keys to the No. 1 contender-producing fight tomorrow night:
For Lesnar:
Keep this fight on the ground by any and all means. Well, not by pulling guard.
Wrestling is your strength. Try to keep that a secret from Overeem until the fight starts.
Don’t get sucked into a kickboxing fight as you no longer have your beard to protect your chin.
Rely on your size advantage to … oh, wait.
For Overeem:
You’ve built up a lot of muscle over the years. Don’t let it gas you out.
Granted, Lesnar’s wrestling is a threat, but take comfort in knowing that most of those moves are illegal.
Don’t be intimidated by Lesnar. He didn’t write the entrance song and that’s not a real sword on his chest.
Defend the takedown. If taken down, get back up. If you can’t, I think Strikeforce is accepting applications for heavyweight champion.
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Editor: In a press conference promoting the fight, Lesnar calls pro wrestling fake.
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Previously in The Beatdown …
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Tim Gilmour is a sports reporter and author of the humor blog LetMeThinkForYou.com. For more NBCSports.com MMA coverage, click here.
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- staph1nfection - Dec 29, 2011 at 6:26 PM
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Thanks, Tim, for the hilarious analysis. I think it really is that simple, though. As I stated on your last post, I’m taking Lesnar in this fight (though I am not at all a fan of him). If he can get top position in the first round (and prior to taking any shots to the head), I don’t think Overeem will have much left by the start of the second round.
The fight of this card, for me, is Diaz-Cerrone. Even without that nonsense from yesterday, it’s the fight I’ve been waiting to see since it was first announced. I generally root against both of these guys, but I’ll be the first to admit they both bring everything they’ve got on fight night. I’m taking Cerrone in this one, based on Cerrone having a few more weapons and Diaz’ propensity to take heavy punishment early and often (because I think Cerrone certainly has the tools to finish Diaz if he’s in trouble).
What do you think?
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- Tim_Gilmour - Jan 1, 2012 at 1:11 AM
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Too late for a prediction, so I’ll just say that I’m a Diaz fan (I have trouble explaining why, so don’t ask), but I never thought it would go down like that. I lean toward him in every fight cause I can’t remember him getting his a** kicked. I remember him getting out-wrestled/positioned, losing on points, etc., but nobody beating him up.
Didn’t think the main event would go down like that either. Wonder how much the surgery affected him. I’ll pick dos Santos over Reem now.
And I didn’t think Fitch would be out cold after the first punch.
This is why I don’t make many predictions, I guess.
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- staph1nfection - Jan 1, 2012 at 2:37 PM
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Yeah, I was absolutely shocked. I pick three to four fights per card for one of my friends to place bets. This is the first time I’ve ever had a losing record, and I was 0-3. Interesting that you’re a Diaz fan. If anyone has dominated him, it’s Rory MacDonald. Rory is no joke, though – had he not gassed after dominating Condit for two rounds, I’m pretty sure there would already be talk of a title shot.
Never – in my entire life – did I expect to see Fitch get KO’d like that. Ever. Love him or hate him, he’s a helluva practitioner. Also, Lesnar’s inability to cope with taking a strike is absolutely unbelievable to me.
Great card overall. Very exciting.
Keep up the good work. I love mmajunkie, but I’m hoping you eventually start mmatalk.com over here. Junkie’s comments section is often very polluted and hard to deal with.
