Stipe Miocic (15-2)
Staple info:
•Height: 6’4″ Age: 34 Weight: 245 lbs Reach: 80″
•Last Fight: KO win / Fabricio Werdum (5-14-16)
•Camp: Strong Style Fight Team (Ohio)
•Stance/Striking Style: Orthodox / Kickboxing
•Risk Management: Moderate
Supplemental info:
+ UFC Heavyweight Champion
+ Golden Gloves Winner
+ NCAA Div. 1 Wrestler
+ Regional MMA Title
+ 12 KO victories
+ 7 first round finishes
+ KO Power
+ Excellent footwork
^ Angles & outside foot awareness
+ Good sense inside the pocket
^ Pulls & returns well
+ Dangerous right-hand
^ Counters well w/inside parry
+ Solid takedown transitions
^ Favors head-outside singles
+ Good positional rides
^ Active ground striker
– Lackadaisical leg-kick defense
– Often upright in approach
^ Counter availabilities
Alistair Overeem (41-14)
Staple info:
•Height: 6’5″ Age: 36 Weight: 257 lbs Reach: 80″
•Last Fight: TKO win / Andrei Arlovski (5-8-16)
•Camp: Jackson-Wink MMA (New Mexico)
•Stance/Striking Style: Orthodox / Kickboxing
•Risk Management: Moderate
Supplemental info:
+ Strikeforce & Dream Heavyweight Titles
+ K-1 Grand Prix Champion
+ ADCC European Winner
+ 20 KO victories
+ 31 first round finishes
+ 17 Submission wins
+ KO Power
+ Excellent footwork
^ Shifts stance well
+ Accurate striker(landing at 75%)
+ Devastating knees & kicks
^ Consistently works the body
+ Crafty clinch game
+ Underrated takedown game
+ Solid top control
^ Good grip fighting & ground striking
+ Dangerous Guillotine
^ Especially from front headlock
– Tends to lower hands
^ Dropped in 4 of last 8 fights
Summary:
The main event for UFC 203 is a promising one as Stipe Miocic defends his title against Alistair Overeem. Just four months after silencing a stadium in Brazil, Stipe Miocic will return to a home game in Cleveland as he looks to cement his status against one of the best in the world. A Champion in organizations such as Strikeforce, Dream, and K-1, Alistair Overeem will get his first chance to add the biggest title in the world to his collection.
Starting off on the feet, I feel that this fight may begin in a similar fashion to Overeem’s fight with Junior Dos Santos. In facing a pressure-fighting boxer who holds a knockout threat, we saw Alistair play the outside edges in a safe manner, keeping his space and looking for his openings. If you have been watching Overeem since his days in Pride, then you will know that the Dutchman didn’t always fight this way. Although the striking upgrades made during the K-1 chapter of his career helped him immensely, it wasn’t until Alistair’s run of UFC knockout losses that we saw him adjust his footwork & approach.
Already dangerous off of his stance shifts, Alistair’s confidence in his head movement and technique often allowed him to plot in front of his opponents longer than he needed to. However, after a series of camp changes during his run of losses, Overeem seemed to find a home at Jackson-Wink as he would embrace a slightly different approach. Like many fighters who come from that camp, Alistair will now circle the outside comfortably as he looks to sharpshoot his attacks like a torpedo plane on a bombing run. With the highest striking accuracy in the division at 75%, this style is optimal for Overeem as it also plays a huge role in protecting his chin from unnecessary roughness.
This approach will likely force Miocic to implement his pressure-fighting ways to close the gap as Alistair searches for his shot. With both men being of similar stature, I feel that Overeem should have the advantage at range given his wide array of attacks. As the matador, I suspect Overeem will look to land leg and body kicks in abundance. Usually moving forward in an upright boxing stance, Miocic has traditionally been open to the body as he also shows lackadaisical leg kick defense. Although Stipe showed attempts at leg checks in his last fight against Werdum, Alistair’s attacks are on another level as I see him doing very well from range.
That said, I am not sure Stipe will be letting Overeem breathe that much on the outside given the Clevelander’s advantage at boxing range. A Golden Gloves winner before he even began his MMA career, we have seen Stipe still make improvements to his striking game. Although his athletic ability and background in wrestling add an undeniable dimension to his game, it is the work Stipe does in small spaces that is so impressive. Moving his feet like the heavyweight version of Frankie Edgar, Miocic will work steadily behind a series of jabs & feints as he always steps slightly off angle in search of his counter shots.
Moving just as well laterally as he does in-and-out, Miocic shows a good sense of things inside the pocket as he almost preternaturally pulls & returns punches. Whether he is using his patent parries or slick step-offs to the side, it is his battering ram right-hand that Overeem will be attempting to avoid. Although punch crowding seems like Stipe’s best game plan on paper against a fighter who requires space to operate, he will need to aware that this approach may ultimately lead Miocic into multiple clinch engagements during this fight. Although Stipe is competent inside the clinch, we have yet to see him against a high-level clinch fighter, much less Alistair who is arguably the best in the division next to Josh Barnett.
However, if Stipe can avoid the Reem’s intercepting knees on his approach, his pressure and corner-cutting may pay huge dividends against the cage. Even in this less confrontational version of Overeem, we have seen in his fights with Roy Nelson & Andrei Arlovski that it does not take much punching pressure to get the Reem to revert into a shell guard. Although he was able to survive these stanzas against heavy hitters like Nelson & Arlovski, Alistair may not fair so well should he elect for this defense against Miocic. Using his said abilities to step off at angles, Stipe is superb when it comes to working around the guard to find the front-left quarter of his opponent’s face. I am not sure if this is what Miocic’s corner is calling for when shouting “Klitschko Quarter”, but I do think it will come to light should Alistair plant and shell.
I am very curious to see how Stipe deals with Alistair’s hand fighting inside the clinch. What makes a clinch striker so dangerous or a “ground & pounder” so good, ultimately comes down to their ability to grip fight. Hence why most good ground & pounders make good clinch strikers and vice versa. Although Overeem has an uncanny ability for smelling openings inside the clinch, it is the grip game that Miocic will have to beat if means to find success in close. Similar to Cain Velasquez, Stipe’s attack is rounded out by his wrestling that can also serve as a plan B. Although Stipe’s grappling is underrated as I see his top game posing potential problems for the Reem, Stipe will have to clear some risky hurdles to get Overeem down.
Miocic, nines times out of ten will go with a head-outside single as his preferred takedown method. Although this takedown transitions beautifully off his punches and stance, it also leaves the neck more vulnerable than any other in regards to Guillotines. Considering that Alistair has one of the best Guillotines in the division, it will be interesting to see if Stipe alters his approach. Brock Lesnar went for a similar takedown attempt in his fight with Overeem but was quickly shut down by the Guillotine threat as this forced Brock to stand for the duration of their bout. Alistair is also an underrated takedown artist himself, as I imagine his attempts will also be live any time inside the clinch.
That said, Stipe is one of the hardest heavyweights to hold down as I don’t see Overeem controlling him for long. However, Miocic is hard to hold down because he is so quick to turtle-out and stand. Although many wrestlers use this method to get up, turtling can often expose your back, or in the case of a heavyweight affair, give up a front headlock. Aside from maybe Ben Rothwell or Fabricio Werdum, Overeem is the worst person to give a front headlock to as he transitions smoothly to devastating ground strikes that sneakily set you up for his patent Guillotine chokes.
Given the arsenal and experience advantage, it is hard not to side with Overeem when forced to make a pick here. Despite being the veteran of both age and in-cage miles, Overeem will be one of the few fighters who can arguably compete with Miocic athletically which makes things interesting. With this fight likely being decided on the feet, I see the Reem searching for his timing while Miocic looks to disrupt it with is own rhythm. In a game of inches, the heavyweight division is king as I predict we may have a new one by the end of the night.
Official Mixed Martial Analyst Pick: Overeem – Inside the distance
Staple info:
•Height: 6’4″ Age: 34 Weight: 245 lbs Reach: 80″
•Last Fight: KO win / Fabricio Werdum (5-14-16)
•Camp: Strong Style Fight Team (Ohio)
•Stance/Striking Style: Orthodox / Kickboxing
•Risk Management: Moderate
Supplemental info:
+ UFC Heavyweight Champion
+ Golden Gloves Winner
+ NCAA Div. 1 Wrestler
+ Regional MMA Title
+ 12 KO victories
+ 7 first round finishes
+ KO Power
+ Excellent footwork
^ Angles & outside foot awareness
+ Good sense inside the pocket
^ Pulls & returns well
+ Dangerous right-hand
^ Counters well w/inside parry
+ Solid takedown transitions
^ Favors head-outside singles
+ Good positional rides
^ Active ground striker
– Lackadaisical leg-kick defense
– Often upright in approach
^ Counter availabilities
Alistair Overeem (41-14)
Staple info:
•Height: 6’5″ Age: 36 Weight: 257 lbs Reach: 80″
•Last Fight: TKO win / Andrei Arlovski (5-8-16)
•Camp: Jackson-Wink MMA (New Mexico)
•Stance/Striking Style: Orthodox / Kickboxing
•Risk Management: Moderate
Supplemental info:
+ Strikeforce & Dream Heavyweight Titles
+ K-1 Grand Prix Champion
+ ADCC European Winner
+ 20 KO victories
+ 31 first round finishes
+ 17 Submission wins
+ KO Power
+ Excellent footwork
^ Shifts stance well
+ Accurate striker(landing at 75%)
+ Devastating knees & kicks
^ Consistently works the body
+ Crafty clinch game
+ Underrated takedown game
+ Solid top control
^ Good grip fighting & ground striking
+ Dangerous Guillotine
^ Especially from front headlock
– Tends to lower hands
^ Dropped in 4 of last 8 fights
Summary:
The main event for UFC 203 is a promising one as Stipe Miocic defends his title against Alistair Overeem. Just four months after silencing a stadium in Brazil, Stipe Miocic will return to a home game in Cleveland as he looks to cement his status against one of the best in the world. A Champion in organizations such as Strikeforce, Dream, and K-1, Alistair Overeem will get his first chance to add the biggest title in the world to his collection.
Starting off on the feet, I feel that this fight may begin in a similar fashion to Overeem’s fight with Junior Dos Santos. In facing a pressure-fighting boxer who holds a knockout threat, we saw Alistair play the outside edges in a safe manner, keeping his space and looking for his openings. If you have been watching Overeem since his days in Pride, then you will know that the Dutchman didn’t always fight this way. Although the striking upgrades made during the K-1 chapter of his career helped him immensely, it wasn’t until Alistair’s run of UFC knockout losses that we saw him adjust his footwork & approach.
Already dangerous off of his stance shifts, Alistair’s confidence in his head movement and technique often allowed him to plot in front of his opponents longer than he needed to. However, after a series of camp changes during his run of losses, Overeem seemed to find a home at Jackson-Wink as he would embrace a slightly different approach. Like many fighters who come from that camp, Alistair will now circle the outside comfortably as he looks to sharpshoot his attacks like a torpedo plane on a bombing run. With the highest striking accuracy in the division at 75%, this style is optimal for Overeem as it also plays a huge role in protecting his chin from unnecessary roughness.
This approach will likely force Miocic to implement his pressure-fighting ways to close the gap as Alistair searches for his shot. With both men being of similar stature, I feel that Overeem should have the advantage at range given his wide array of attacks. As the matador, I suspect Overeem will look to land leg and body kicks in abundance. Usually moving forward in an upright boxing stance, Miocic has traditionally been open to the body as he also shows lackadaisical leg kick defense. Although Stipe showed attempts at leg checks in his last fight against Werdum, Alistair’s attacks are on another level as I see him doing very well from range.
That said, I am not sure Stipe will be letting Overeem breathe that much on the outside given the Clevelander’s advantage at boxing range. A Golden Gloves winner before he even began his MMA career, we have seen Stipe still make improvements to his striking game. Although his athletic ability and background in wrestling add an undeniable dimension to his game, it is the work Stipe does in small spaces that is so impressive. Moving his feet like the heavyweight version of Frankie Edgar, Miocic will work steadily behind a series of jabs & feints as he always steps slightly off angle in search of his counter shots.
Moving just as well laterally as he does in-and-out, Miocic shows a good sense of things inside the pocket as he almost preternaturally pulls & returns punches. Whether he is using his patent parries or slick step-offs to the side, it is his battering ram right-hand that Overeem will be attempting to avoid. Although punch crowding seems like Stipe’s best game plan on paper against a fighter who requires space to operate, he will need to aware that this approach may ultimately lead Miocic into multiple clinch engagements during this fight. Although Stipe is competent inside the clinch, we have yet to see him against a high-level clinch fighter, much less Alistair who is arguably the best in the division next to Josh Barnett.
However, if Stipe can avoid the Reem’s intercepting knees on his approach, his pressure and corner-cutting may pay huge dividends against the cage. Even in this less confrontational version of Overeem, we have seen in his fights with Roy Nelson & Andrei Arlovski that it does not take much punching pressure to get the Reem to revert into a shell guard. Although he was able to survive these stanzas against heavy hitters like Nelson & Arlovski, Alistair may not fair so well should he elect for this defense against Miocic. Using his said abilities to step off at angles, Stipe is superb when it comes to working around the guard to find the front-left quarter of his opponent’s face. I am not sure if this is what Miocic’s corner is calling for when shouting “Klitschko Quarter”, but I do think it will come to light should Alistair plant and shell.
I am very curious to see how Stipe deals with Alistair’s hand fighting inside the clinch. What makes a clinch striker so dangerous or a “ground & pounder” so good, ultimately comes down to their ability to grip fight. Hence why most good ground & pounders make good clinch strikers and vice versa. Although Overeem has an uncanny ability for smelling openings inside the clinch, it is the grip game that Miocic will have to beat if means to find success in close. Similar to Cain Velasquez, Stipe’s attack is rounded out by his wrestling that can also serve as a plan B. Although Stipe’s grappling is underrated as I see his top game posing potential problems for the Reem, Stipe will have to clear some risky hurdles to get Overeem down.
Miocic, nines times out of ten will go with a head-outside single as his preferred takedown method. Although this takedown transitions beautifully off his punches and stance, it also leaves the neck more vulnerable than any other in regards to Guillotines. Considering that Alistair has one of the best Guillotines in the division, it will be interesting to see if Stipe alters his approach. Brock Lesnar went for a similar takedown attempt in his fight with Overeem but was quickly shut down by the Guillotine threat as this forced Brock to stand for the duration of their bout. Alistair is also an underrated takedown artist himself, as I imagine his attempts will also be live any time inside the clinch.
That said, Stipe is one of the hardest heavyweights to hold down as I don’t see Overeem controlling him for long. However, Miocic is hard to hold down because he is so quick to turtle-out and stand. Although many wrestlers use this method to get up, turtling can often expose your back, or in the case of a heavyweight affair, give up a front headlock. Aside from maybe Ben Rothwell or Fabricio Werdum, Overeem is the worst person to give a front headlock to as he transitions smoothly to devastating ground strikes that sneakily set you up for his patent Guillotine chokes.
Given the arsenal and experience advantage, it is hard not to side with Overeem when forced to make a pick here. Despite being the veteran of both age and in-cage miles, Overeem will be one of the few fighters who can arguably compete with Miocic athletically which makes things interesting. With this fight likely being decided on the feet, I see the Reem searching for his timing while Miocic looks to disrupt it with is own rhythm. In a game of inches, the heavyweight division is king as I predict we may have a new one by the end of the night.
Official Mixed Martial Analyst Pick: Overeem – Inside the distance
