Alistair Overeem Responds To Injury Criticism: It Was A Freak Accident
UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem has been under the spotlight in the past few weeks, as reported injuries inflicted on Andrei Arlovski and Jon Jones have hit the headlines. All three men train over at Jackson’s MMA together, and the famed coach Greg Jackson recently disclosed that Overeem was sparring with Jones when the champion was injured and subsequently scratched from UFC 178.
UFC president Dana White was not pleased with the fact that Overeem was even sparring with Jones, see here, and it seems that “The Reem” has just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Check out what the Dutch K-1 champion said to MMAJunkie in response to White’s comments:
“What is he doing training with me? We’re in the same gym. We’re teammates. We have lunch (together) and we drive around together. (The injury was) very unfortunate, this was just one of those freak accidents on a takedown. Listen, I was looking forward to that fight. Everybody was looking forward to that fight. Jon Jones was looking forward to it. Accidents happen. There’s no fault to blame.”
Speculation that Overeem has been purposefully injuring fighters in the gym goes back to his time with the Blackzilians, when he was accused of the same thing. By the sonds of it, Overeem is happy to let these accusations fly over his head:
“There was no intent (to hurt him),” Overeem said. “There’s always something you can say. Sometimes it’s best to say nothing and it is what it is. That’s just my two cents.”
Intent or no, the injury forced Jon Jones out of his much anticipated fight with Daniel Cormier at UFC 178. Accidents do happen, and are more commonplace in combat sports than anywhere else. Overeem then went on to the subject of his UFC Fight Night 50 booking against Ben Rothwell:
“I’m having a great time learning every day,” Overeem said. “The team is great. They’re stand-up people, there’s no egos. Everybody’s cool. Everyone is helping each other out. A lightweight can give me wresting advice. It’s very chill and peaceful and that’s that I like. I don’t like tension in the gym slash workplace. I want to go to work with pleasure and it helps when you’re around motivated people that have got your back. I’m very much looking forward to this fight.”
So it looks as though “Reem” is happy training with Jones and the gang at Jackson’s MMA, and the fruits of his labour will be evident when he fights “Big” in Connecticut. Do you think Overeem is just too big to be training with light-heavyweights, or are the rumours of his weight cutting true?
