5 dream matches for Fedor Emelianenko in the UFC

#3 vs. Alistair Overeem

The fans missed out on a fight between Fedor and Alistair Overeem in StrikeForce

Prior to the Zuffa buyout of StrikeForce in 2011, the one fight fans of that promotion really wanted to see was Fedor vs. Alistair Overeem. At the time, Overeem held the StrikeForce Heavyweight title and still held a massive aura as ‘Ubereem’, arguably the most physically intimidating fighter in the sport. And despite his loss to Fabricio Werdum, Fedor was still respected as possibly the best fighter in the world.

Of course, Scott Coker failed to make the fight – instead booking the StrikeForce Heavyweight Grand Prix, attempting to have Overeem face Fedor in the semi-finals in the process, and that went badly awry when Fedor lost to Bigfoot Silva and Overeem ended up pulling out of the tournament to jump to the UFC. Years have passed since, and both fighters have declined somewhat, but let’s be honest – who wouldn’t want to see this fight now?

It’d be a battle of two long-time veterans who never managed to cross paths, and with both men probably easing towards the end of their careers – Fedor has of course already retired once – it’d be a fair fight, too. Would Overeem’s superior striking and size give him an advantage? Or would the chin of ‘The Reem’ crumble under the power of the legendary Fedor? It’d be a fascinating one for sure.