Alistair Overeem (James Law/HeavyMMA)
UFC CEO announces likely date for heavyweight showdown
Lorenzo Fertitta hasn’t been the same news-breaker that Dana White is, but that all changed early Friday.
The UFC CEO went on a marathon question-answering session on his Twitter account, replying to fans’ questions and, in the process, breaking several pieces of new news.
One of the biggest, literally, came in the form of an announcement of Junior dos Santos‘ first heavyweight title defense, which Fertitta said is expected to take place on the UFC’s May 26 card in Las Vegas against Alistair Overeem.
The UFC recently requested May 26 and July 7 dates with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the NSAC recently told HeavyMMA by e-mail, for pay-per-view cards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Both dates are for events that the promotion traditionally holds in its home base around the Memorial Day and Independence Day holiday weekends.
Dos Santos (14-1, 8-0 UFC) in November beat Cain Velasquez to win the heavyweight title. And in December, Overeem (36-11, 1 NC, 1-0 UFC) beat former champ Brock Lesnar in the main event of UFC 141 to become the No. 1 contender and first challenger for dos Santos’ title.
Dos Santos’ knee surgery and Overeem’s desire to take some time off had led to talk of a summer fight between the two. And that will now come, apparently, at the first summer date available. No other fights for the card have been announced.