Alistair Overeem was one of the sport’s hottest commodities when he returned to mixed martial arts full time after a successful kickboxing career. He knows what it feels like to have all eyes aimed at him, with fans celebrating every victory and critics savoring each defeat.
This weekend, he will be facing a dangerous fighter who was once in his shoes and with a similar blueprint. Sergey Pavlovich has 12 wins without a loss, with nine of those victories coming by way of KO or TKO. As they prepare for their UFC Fight Night 141 encounter, take a look at these things you probably don’t know about Overeem.