Alistair Overeem issues statement on UFC release

Former Strikeforce, DREAM and K-1 heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem has issued a statement on his UFC release.

Overeem has been competing under the UFC banner since 2011, but after a knockout loss to Alexander Volkov in his last outing, was released by the promotion earlier this week.

Speaking on Instagram on Thursday morning, Overeem issued a quick statement on his UFC departure. See what he had to say below.

“The final run has come to an end, but what a run it has been,” Overeem wrote. “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.”

At this stage, it’s unclear whether or not the 40-year-old Overeem intends to continue fighting. If he does, however, he’s likely to be a hot commodity as a free agent. The heavyweight legend will inevitably receive offers from a number of high-profile promotions. In fact, RIZIN Fighting Federation CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara has already expressed interest in Overeem’s services.

I asked RIZIN boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara about potentially signing Alistair Overeem. Here's what he has to say: pic.twitter.com/QPVCyRs5Fg

— Tom Taylor (@TomTayMMA) March 4, 2021

“I do have a soft spot for Alistair and if he desires, I think it would make sense for him to retire in Japan,” Sakakibara told Tom Taylor. “We will be kicking this year off with the RIZIN 27 event on March 21st in Nagoya, but we do plan to have around seven events this year, obviously ending it at the Saitama Super Arena on [New Year’s Eve]. Maybe that would be something that could make sense.

“He would obviously need to understand the current Japanese market and his value for all of this to happen though,” Sakakibara continued. “He should do us an old friend’s favor and fight for the amount he made his debut in like old times. All jokes aside, I would have no problem working with him if the numbers make sense for us, and I’m sure there will be many fans who would want to see him end his career in Japan.”

What do you think the future holds for Alistair Overeem?