The UFC recently booked a heavyweight contest pitting Alistair Overeem against the returning Stefan Struve at UFC on Fox in Phoenix, Arizona on December 13.
Both Struve (25-6) and Overeem (37-14-1NC) stand as two of the most recognizable UFC heavyweights. On the surface, Overeem vs Struve makes for an interesting clash of styles between two fighters ranked in the top 15. However, while this particular bout may have been perfect in the not too distance past, several factors suggest that, at this point in his career, Struve is not in the right place to be straight back in at the deep end; facing off against the likes of Overeem, thus begging the question – does this match up make sense?
Struve was last in action on March 3, 2013 where the 7 foot Dutchman fell victim to a broken jaw, and was brutally knocked out by the ‘Super Samoan’ Mark Hunt. Later that year, Struve was reported to be suffering worrying heart complications with a bicuspid aortic valve. It was feared that this may spell the end of the 26-year-old’s career, however, the condition was treated and Struve resumed training in late November, but did not receive medical clearance to fight until April, 2014.
Thankfully, Struve pulled through what must have been a deeply unnerving point in his life, let alone the near end of his fighting career, and fans were pleased to hear that ‘Skyscraper’ was slated to return on July 5 at UFC 175 against Matt Mitrione who is currently ranked outside of the top 15. Come fight night, troubling news emerged that Struve had suffered a panic attack backstage, and had reportedly fainted with an elevated heart rate resulting in the fight being called off.
To his credit, Struve is now set for a second attempt, but interestingly, will not be gradually reintroduced as he aims to return to the division’s top flight, having been matched against a much higher calibre opponent. Despite what have been extremely difficult times for the young heavyweight, Struve is back in at the division’s deep end, and has now been jumped from returning against competition outside of the top 15, to facing #11 ranked striking powerhouse Alistair Overeem.
Again, on the surface, the contest would appear to make sense with Overeem having gone 1-3 in his last 4 bouts. However, for the most part, Overeem’s ability was proving to be as clinical as ever against both Antonio Silva and Travis Browne before woeful tactical decisions contributed to a pair of knockout losses. Most recently, ‘The Reem’ suffered a TKO loss to Ben Rothwell at UFC Fight Night on September 5; sparking wide spread criticism that no doubt contributed to him being matched against Struve – a fighter whose current ability is very much unproven, having not competed in 18 months with a great deal to prove both physically and mentally. Struve may well go on to successfully reinstate himself in the UFC ranks however, with all due respect, it’s unclear as to how well Struve can perform at this point; could returning to face Overeem be too much too soon?
While Overeem’s record may have suffered a slump, the former Strikeforce, Dream, and K1 champion has nevertheless been more active, and until recently, has been a top-10 contender facing some of the heavyweight division’s biggest threats. Upon the second attempt at his return, Struve is now matched against far more threatening opposition in Overeem who himself has an added insensitive to reignite the ability he’s known to posses, with his own back against the proverbial wall. While his fighting spirit may be strong and rejuvenated, is this a safe move for the returning Struve considering the hurdles he’s overcome, or should he have been welcomed back with a more considerate test?
