Free agents Overeem, Sterling remain in UFC
A pair of free agents agreed to contracts that will keep them in the Ultimate FIghting Championship.
Heavyweight Alistair Overeem and bantamweight Aljamain Sterling tested the market when their UFC contracts expired, but both have decided to return to the UFC.
Both were public about their desire to allow their previous deals to expire and essentially gambled on themselves to win the final bouts on their contracts, which they both did in December.
Overeem, who finished out his previous deal with three straight wins including a knockout of Junior dos Santos is December, posted a picture on Instagram early Monday morning that showed him signing his new deal with the UFC.
After signing the deal, the Netherlands native posted his next fight will be in the main event of the UFC’s first card in Rotterdam on Nov. 8.
No opponent has been announced.
Sterling, an unbeaten 26-year-old contender, took a similar risk in entering his December bout against Johnny Eduardo without signing a contract extension.
He scored a second-round submission to improve to 4-0 in the UFC and announced Monday he would continue his career in the organization after exploring the market.
“I’m coming (for) the crown,” he posted on Twitter, indicating he would be continuing his pursuit of the UFC bantamweight title.
Earlier this month, former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson hit the market and elected to sign with Bellator MMA.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj
