Alistair Overeem issues statement after UFC release: 'The final run has come to an end'
Alistair Overeem showed nothing but grace in his first comments since his UFC release.
Overeem (47-19 MMA, 12-8 UFC) was cut from the UFC roster Wednesday in a move that was first reported by MMA Junkie. The longtime heavyweight contender is 4-2 in his past six fights, but at 40 and with nearly 100 combat sports bouts, it’s no secret he was at the tail end of his career.
The goal for Overeem before he closed the door on fighting was to earn a final UFC title shot. He ideally would’ve won the belt before and rode off into the sunset, but reality didn’t go that way. Overeem suffered a second-round TKO loss to Alexander Volkov in last month’s UFC Fight Night 184 main event, which proved to be his 20th and final UFC bout.
There appears to be no ill will over the situation on Overeem’s end. On Thursday, he posted his first comments since the news broke and showed class toward the fans, UFC brass and everyone who has followed his journey in the octagon (via Instagram):
The final run has come to an end, but what a run it has been. Looking back at my 10 years in the UFC, this has been the experience of a lifetime. Huge thank you to the entire @ufc staff, the fans and all the fighters I came across. Couldn’t have wished for any other better career path. A special thank you to @danawhite and Lorenzo Fertitta for making everything possible. Fighting for all of you has been such an honor.
Overeem left some room for interpretation with his statement. He did not clarify whether “the final run has come to an end” means solely in the UFC, or if it could mean retirement.
With more than 20 years in the fight game and a still strong name, it’s likely that other promoters will be interested in Overeem’s services. The UFC just isn’t one of them anymore.
.@AlistairOvereem keeps it on this final chapter of his career: "We all got to be realistic, right?"#UFCVegas18 | Full interview: https://t.co/VlzpoUBQqr pic.twitter.com/30JL1rtXBy
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) February 5, 2021