Former UFC heavyweight contender wants in on ONE Championship's $1 million openweight Muay Thai grand prix
One Championship's openweight Muay Thai Grand Prix is the new talk of the town, and the $1 million contest has seemingly got on the radar of a former UFC heavyweight.
Earlier this week, the promotion's CEO, Chatri Sityodtong, announced the tournament during the press conference for One Fight Night 6. The announcement has reportedly grabbed the interest of the former UFC fighter and kickboxing phenom Alistair Overeem.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, 'The Demolition Man' has reached out to the One officials to take part in the $1 million tournament.
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However, per Sityodtong's announcement, the tournament is exclusive for athletes who are signed to the Singapore-based fight promotion:
“The Grand Prix [is] only for ONE fighters but we’re always constantly signing athletes, several we haven’t announced. [via South China Morning Post]”
Hence, the 42-year-old Dutchman will have to officially sign with One Championship to take part in the contest. If signed, Overeem is sure to be a grand addition to the promotion's roster, given his combat sports credentials.
During his storied MMA career, the Netherlands native fought under various world-class promotions like Pride and Strikeforce in addition to the UFC. He is also a former Strikeforce heavyweight champion.
In kickboxing, 'The Demolition Man' holds a record of 11 wins against 4 losses and is a former K1 Grand Prix champion. After parting ways with the UFC in 2021, he has once again returned to kickboxing and is currently signed to Glory Kickboxing.
When Joe Rogan joked that former UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem should go back to a drug-test-free circuit
During the #34th MMA show edition of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Rogan and mixed martial artist Josh Barnett discussed Alistair Overeem's steroid use, saying that during his many UFC fights, it was blatantly evident that he was on steroids.
Rogan opined that any drug testing agent in the world would have been clearly convinced about Overeem's not-so-natty status during his fight with Brock Lesnar:
"Dude, how about Alistair Overeem when he fought Brock Lesnar? How about when we saw the reem, when he was ubereem... There is not a god da*n drug testing agent alive that wouldn't have been grab him, hold him down, hold on to that guy."
Watch Rogan discuss Alistair Overeem's steroid use below:
Rogan joked that a part of him wishes to see the 42-year-old Dutchman back on a drug-test-free combat sports circuit like Japan:
"There is a part of me that wishes he would leave and go to Japan and go right back to it. You know, just fill him up."
Watch the JRE episode below: