The big boys are headlining this coming weekend’s UFC event in Las Vegas, as Alistair Overeem is set to take on Augusto Sakai in an intriguing heavyweight tussle. Overeem is the favorite, but Sakai seems to have the tools to score an upset victory. Check out our preview of this fight below.
Overeem’s striking power can’t be understated. He’s built his career mostly on knocking people out, with his latest victim being Walt Harris. Overeem needed just two rounds to score a knockout victory over Harris back in May. It was Overeem’s third win in four fights and first since losing to Jairzinho Rozenstruik last December. Although Overeem is only 5-3 in his last eight fights, it should be noted that two of those losses were against elite competition. He lost to Curtis Blaydes in 2018 and to Francis Ngannou a year before. Nicknamed as “The Demolition Man,” Overeem has 24 wins via knockouts. However, he’s not just defined by his power, but also by his ability to submit opponents. In fact, Overeem has a 17-1 submission record. The Dutchman has a significant three-inch advantage over Sakai, so expect Overeem to keep his opponent at bay with stinging jabs and accurate strikes. Speaking of which, Overeem is tops among all active heavyweights in the UFC with a 74 percent striking accuracy.
This fight is Sakai’s best chance to put his name on the mainstream. That being said, he’s done enough to turn heads over his last several fights. Sakai will enter the Octagon this coming Saturday on a six-fight unbeaten streak. In his most recent bout, he scored a split decision victory over Blagoy Ivanov. Also, last year, Sakai defeated Andrei Arlovski via split decision, too. But Sakai is mostly known for his knockout power, as 11 of his 15 career wins have been knockouts. Overeem has a susceptible chin that Sakai could target, and he’s got the power to drop the Dutchman down. Sakai has displayed some great defense against takedown attempts. The 29-year-old Brazilian has an 83 percent takedown defense. Although Overeem is a much more accomplished fighter than Sakai, the latter can draw confidence from the perception that Overeem is already past his prime. In other words, Sakai is catching Overeem at just the right time.
