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Francis Ngannou has given a sincere tribute to former opponent Alistair Overeem’s amazing career. Ngannou congratulated Overeem on his career and thanked him for his contributions to the sport of MMA.
Earlier this month, the UFC announced Alistair Overeem’s release from the organization. Overeem, on his part, took to Twitter to confirm the same, in addition to also expressing his gratitude for his time in the UFC. Francis Ngannou has responded to Overeem’s tweet with one of his own. Fans can view both tweets below –
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Alistair Overeem’s tweet read – “The final run has come to an end, but what a run it has been. After 10 years in the UFC I can say this has been the experience of a lifetime. Grateful to the @ufc the fans and all fighters. A special thank you to @danawhite and Lorenzo Fertitta for making everything possible.”
Francis Ngannou responded by stating – “What a run!! Congratulations on your amazing career and thank you for what you've done for our sport. Enjoy your retirement and your family, you deserve it. #Respect”
The Predator and The Demolition Man are no strangers to one another. Francis Ngannou fought Alistair Overeem in a three-round heavyweight bout at UFC 218 in December 2017. It was in this fight that Ngannou produced what’s regarded by many as one of the most iconic knockouts in combat sports history.
Francis Ngannou caught Alistair Overeem with a thunderous left uppercut that knocked the Dutch kickboxing and MMA legend out cold. Ngannou hit Overeem with a follow-up ground strike before the referee intervened and waved off the fight at the 1:42-minute mark of round one.
While Francis Ngannou’s tweet suggested that Alistair Overeem has retired from MMA, Overeem himself is yet to confirm the news of his retirement.
Certain sections of the combat sports world believe that Overeem could potentially continue his MMA career in another promotion. The consensus is that promotions such as Bellator MMA, One Championship, or RIZIN could possibly procure Overeem’s services.
Francis Ngannou and Alistair Overeem are at different stages of their respective combat sports careers
Francis Ngannou was initially training to become a professional boxer and reach the pinnacle of the sport. However, The Predator eventually chose to pursue a career in the sport of MMA and is now on the cusp of winning the UFC heavyweight title. Ngannou is scheduled to fight UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic for the title at UFC 260 (March 27th, 2021).
Meanwhile, Alistair Overeem has been hailed by many as a true combat sports legend. The Reem’s accomplishments – be it the K-1 world grand prix championship in kickboxing, or the Strikeforce heavyweight title and Dream heavyweight title in MMA – are a testament to his greatness.
Which MMA promotion would you like to see Alistair Overeem compete in? Sound off in the comments.
