The Mac
12-24-2010, 12:43 AM
In his first fight since a surprising UFC release earlier this year, Todd Duffee (6-1 MMA, 0-0 DREAM) will meet fellow heavyweight Alistair Overeem (33-11 MMA, 4-0 DREAM) at next week's DREAM "Dynamite!! 2010" event.
A DREAM source today told MMAjunkie.com verbal agreements are in place for the fight, though Duffee reps couldn't be reached for confirmation.
DREAM officially added Overeem to the Dec. 31 fight card on Wednesday, and Sherdog.com reported Duffee as a likely opponent.
DREAM "Dynamite!! 2010" takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event airs in the U.S. on HDNet.
In addition to the tentative DREAM fight, Duffee currently is scheduled for a Jan. 29 Titan Fighting Championships 16 headliner with Abe Wagner. That event also airs on HDNet.
Duffee hasn't fought since May, when he was upset at UFC 114 by Chicago fighter Mike Russow. After dominating the fight on the feet for two-plus rounds, the iron-jawed Russow landed a right hand that knocked Duffee out cold in one of the most dramatic come-from-behind wins in UFC history.
Duffee, who works with Grudge Training Center in Denver, was expected to take on Jon Madsen at UFC 121 but withdrew from the fight in August with a knee injury. Less than a month later, he received an email from the UFC notifying him that he had been cut by the promotion because of his loss to Russow. UFC president Dana White later admitted "Duffee's attitude" also played a part in the release.
Overeem, Strikeforce's current heavyweight champion, competes just three weeks removed from a scintillating performance in the K-1 World Grand Prix, where he claimed the kickboxing promotion's tournament championship. His most recent MMA win came in MMA, when he made a successful Strikeforce title defense against Brett Rogers for his eighth straight win
A DREAM source today told MMAjunkie.com verbal agreements are in place for the fight, though Duffee reps couldn't be reached for confirmation.
DREAM officially added Overeem to the Dec. 31 fight card on Wednesday, and Sherdog.com reported Duffee as a likely opponent.
DREAM "Dynamite!! 2010" takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event airs in the U.S. on HDNet.
In addition to the tentative DREAM fight, Duffee currently is scheduled for a Jan. 29 Titan Fighting Championships 16 headliner with Abe Wagner. That event also airs on HDNet.
Duffee hasn't fought since May, when he was upset at UFC 114 by Chicago fighter Mike Russow. After dominating the fight on the feet for two-plus rounds, the iron-jawed Russow landed a right hand that knocked Duffee out cold in one of the most dramatic come-from-behind wins in UFC history.
Duffee, who works with Grudge Training Center in Denver, was expected to take on Jon Madsen at UFC 121 but withdrew from the fight in August with a knee injury. Less than a month later, he received an email from the UFC notifying him that he had been cut by the promotion because of his loss to Russow. UFC president Dana White later admitted "Duffee's attitude" also played a part in the release.
Overeem, Strikeforce's current heavyweight champion, competes just three weeks removed from a scintillating performance in the K-1 World Grand Prix, where he claimed the kickboxing promotion's tournament championship. His most recent MMA win came in MMA, when he made a successful Strikeforce title defense against Brett Rogers for his eighth straight win