Duffman sneak level 100 on this card. Barely noticed he was there. Don't even remember him losing via accidental eye poke a year ago.
This card has four titles: UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai UFC Fight Night 176: Overeem vs. Sakai UFC on ESPN+ 34: Overeem vs. Sakai UFC Vegas 9: Overeem vs. Sakai Thinking of going with the numbered Fight Night titles for the future, what do you think?
This is another one of those weak ass cards they're throwing down their to make up for the missed shows due to Covid. They could have combined last week's card with this week's to make a halfway decent one.
I don't see the need for them to keep the guys who are outside of the top-10 in their classes on exclusive deals. These cards are just put together to fulfill the contract obligations.
Overeem looked to be fading on the feet. Suddenly took it to the ground and Sakai seemed to almost give up in the 5th. Overeem is having a good push here to end his career.
Results Alistair Overeem def. Augusto Sakai via TKO (punches) — Round 5, 0:26 Ovince Saint Preux def. Alonzo Menifield via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 4:07 Michel Pereira def. Zelim Imadaev via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 4:39 Andre Muniz Bartosz Fabinski vs. via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 2:42 Brian Kelleher def. Ray Rodriguez via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:39 Viviane Araujo def. Montana De La Rosa via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) Hunter Azure def. Cole Smith via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
The Reem! Where did he grow the chin at!? He ate some big shots. Smart game plan by the Reem. Let Sakai punch himself out in the first two rounds, and then take him down and pound the living hell out of him. What a win. Good for the Reem.
I think it was Overeem's game plan to weather the storm on the feet and take him out in the later rounds. He just let him punch himself out in the first two. Secured 3 with a TD, won 4 and 5 decisively. I thought the fight could have been stopped in the 4th if Overeem pushed it but I think he knew he had it in the bag for the 5th. I thought Sakai was gonna call it after the 4th honestly.
Watching the fight back it definitely makes sense Overeem was taking it slow early to let Sakai wear himself out. Feels like a risky game plan against a guy with more power like Miocic or Ngannou, but certainly worked tonight. Speaking of power, Overeem generates as much power in the ground and pound as anyone I can ever remember. The shots he unloaded on Sakai were debilitating and that was after a few rounds of work.
Sakai said that in the 2nd round he dislocated two ribs from Overeem's knees to the body and then later in the fight, broke 2 other ribs from Overeem's body work.
