Steve Cofield: "Overeem Should Be Stripped Of His Belt"

[snakerattle79]

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Why have championship belts if your fighters never defend them? Cung Le hasn't fought since March of 2008. Alistair Overeem has taken it to ridiculous levels. The Strikeforce heavyweight champ hasn't defended the strap since he won it back in November of 2007 against Paul Buentello.

It's gotten to the point where Strikeforce heavyweights aren't asking for an Overeem fight. The fight means zippo. The most desired fight is now against champ-in-waiting Fedor Emelianenko.

Overeem canceled his August 15 fight against Fabricio Werdum because of a mysterious hand injury. Now he's booked for what looks like a K-1 fight next month against Peter Aerts and then another appearance in December. When the heck will he fight in the U.S. again for Strikeforce? Frankly, we're starting to think he's avoiding fighting in the United States. We hate to do it, but there's was a lot of PED chatter surrounding Overeem when he was at the April Strikeforce event. He defiantly denied the steroid allegations with Ariel Helwani. The picture shows Overeem growing from a 205-pounder to huge 254-pounder in three years.

Who knows what the reason is? It's clear Overeem doesn't respect the title or Strikeforce. It's time to strip him and hold a heavyweight tournament. Make it an eight-man tourney with Fedor as the No. 1 seed. If Overeem wants in, he's welcome to. It'd be a great way to build up the heavyweight roster and further promote Fedor's name in the U.S.

[Dynamite Kid]

I'm an Overeem fan but I agree with this. Him & Le should be stripped. As for Le, business outside of fighting doesn't take this damn long. If he wants to be an actor, then be an actor. Put the title on the table and leave. As for Overeem, if he wants to be a kickboxer and not fight in the US then put the title on the table also. It's ridiculous to know they've been out this long and not 1 damn title defense.

[jimmie]

Just make Rodgers-Fedor for the interm title and if Overeem doesnt defend within 4 months then there ya go.

[achillesthegreat]

Strip Overeem and make Fedor-Rogers a title fight. 2 years is ridiculous.

Le needs to decided if he is in Movie Game or Hurt Business.

[scurlaruntings]

Overeem got a VERY bad injury in some fight in a club. He was lucky not to have lost his hand. That being said he cant sit on the title and needs to make up his mind. Personally i say strip him and make Fedor Rogers for the title :-)

And you can bet your life Overeem is on hormones.

[Beebs]

Overeem got a VERY bad injury in some fight in a club. He was lucky not to have lost his hand. That being said he cant sit on the title and needs to make up his mind. Personally i say strip him and make Fedor Rogers for the title :-)

And you can bet your life Overeem is on hormones.

Yea, pretty cowary and wrong for the writer to imply the hand injury was mysterious at all; it was well known and serious, not an excuse.

[AJAX]

That's why exclusive contracts can be a good thing, guys like Overeem can't just come and go as he pleases. 3 of strikeforces titles hasn't been defended in over a year.

[snakerattle79]

Steve Cofield doesn't know how prestigous K-1 is..

[sugarngold]

Even Le himself said that an interim title should be created until he can come back.

[AJAX]

That's not the point about K1, the point is he has a belt that he is holding hostage. There should be a timeframe to defend it and if not have an interim title fight.

[scurlaruntings]

That's not the point about K1, the point is he has a belt that he is holding hostage. There should be a timeframe to defend it and if not have an interim title fight.He's not holding anything hostage. Overeem had a potential CAREER hand injury. He nearly lost it in a fight in a club when he and his brother were scraping with security guards 5 of which ended up in Hospital. Theres a legitimate reason as to "why" he's out and that writer should have pointed that out. He chose not too and called the injury "mysterious" :roll:

Overeem is contractually obligated to fight in the K1 for his next two fights i believe. Either Mighty Mo or Aerts. The only problem here is Overeem isnt exclusively a Strikeforce fighter. You cant blame him as he has to make a living however possible. Strikeforce need him as much as he needs them thanks to the UFC of course..

[achillesthegreat]

Strikeforce need to sign exclusive contracts. Period.

Overeem has fought 4 fights for Dream and 1 for K1 I believe. This should be unacceptable.

Interim titles aren't a good idea. The champ should be given a year and if he takes longer than that he should be stripped (unless a genuine injury etc is stopping him from defending).

Overeem's title is almost worthless with Fedor in Strikeforce. Fedor v Rogers will decide the true champ.

[AJAX]

He's not holding anything hostage. Overeem had a potential CAREER hand injury. He nearly lost it in a fight in a club when he and his brother were scraping with security guards 5 of which ended up in Hospital. Theres a legitimate reason as to "why" he's out and that writer should have pointed that out. He chose not too and called the injury "mysterious" :roll:

Overeem is contractually obligated to fight in the K1 for his next two fights i believe. Either Mighty Mo or Aerts. The only problem here is Overeem isnt exclusively a Strikeforce fighter. You cant blame him as he has to make a living however possible. Strikeforce need him as much as he needs them thanks to the UFC of course..

So what your saying is that it is fine that Strikeforce doesn't make them defend their belts for any time period??? If his next 2 fights are for K1 it could be another year before he defends his belt. And same with Cung Le another belt that hasn't been defended in over 2 years.

strikeforce has slowly become a decent org but with guys not defending their belts for over 2 years at a time it doesn't help credibility.

[scurlaruntings]

So what your saying is that it is fine that Strikeforce doesn't make them defend their belts for any time period??? If his next 2 fights are for K1 it could be another year before he defends his belt. And same with Cung Le another belt that hasn't been defended in over 2 years.

strikeforce has slowly become a decent org but with guys not defending their belts for over 2 years at a time it doesn't help credibility.If you READ my previous posts you will see i havent alluded to that at all and have already said Overeem should be stripped or at least an interim title fought for because of his injury which has now apparently healed.What im pointing out is the brutally obvious in regards to Overeems current circumstances and contract.

Of course its not practical or proper for him to sit on a title but Strikeforce have allowed him to do so because they dont have the barganing power of the UFC. Having Overeem in their stable is better than not having him at all.

[AJAX]

Fair enough, Rogers-Fedor isn't a bad idea but they said they wanted to build up Fedor before his title fight. I guess that would leave Werdum available after that depending on what overeems shedule is.

[scurlaruntings]

That title pretty much already has Fedor's name on it... I wonder if his WAMMA title will be on the line vs Rogers?