Overeem overwhelms Lesnar in first round at UFC 141
The most common criticism of Brock Lesnar as a mixed martial artist has been how much he seems to despise taking punches.
Alistair Overeem proved Friday night Lesnar doesn’t particularly care for getting kneed or kicked either.
Lesnar probably never will have to worry about getting hit again as the 34-year-old announced his retirement from MMA following a first-round knockout loss to Overeem in the main event of UFC 141 at the MGM Grand Garden on Friday night.
Lesnar doubled over in pain after Overeem drilled him with a left kick to the liver. As the former champion sat hunched over against the cage, Overeem moved in and started throwing short right hands until the fight was stopped at 2 minutes, 26 seconds of the first round.
“I predicted it the evening before to my fiancee,” Overeem said. “First I’m going to do this, then I’m going to do that, and I’m going to finish him with a liver kick. I don’t know if that’s luck or strategy, but I’m happy it turned out that way.”
Lesnar didn’t appear to get hit squarely with many of the finishing punches, but he showed no desire to continue fighting.
“I’ve had a rough couple of years. I’m going to officially say tonight was the last time you’ve seen me in the octagon,” he said. “Brock Lesnar is officially retired.”
UFC president Dana White said he had no advance notice Lesnar would retire but wasn’t shocked by it as the former UFC champion has spent the better part of the past two years dealing with an intestinal disorder.
Lesnar, who went 4-3 in seven UFC fights and finishes on a two-fight losing streak, said he told his wife and children he planned to beat Overeem and then fight just one more time for the title against Junior dos Santos before retiring.
Now, Overeem likely will get that title shot against dos Santos.
He probably will get a much tougher test against dos Santos. Lesnar made things easy on Overeem by standing in front of him and trying to strike with likely the best kickboxer in the heavyweight division.
Overeem landed hard knees to Lesnar each time the two came close to each other in the cage. He said he felt Lesnar get timid quickly.
“After one knee,” he said. “After that he never came for a takedown. We would come in the clinch, and he would disengage. He’s usually a guy that comes right forward, and he wasn’t doing that, so I knew the knees were bothering him.”
Lesnar cut Overeem with his first punch of the fight but didn’t capitalize.
“He threw a first jab, and he cut me, and I felt drops of blood in my eye,” Overeem said. “Ten seconds later I couldn’t see from my right eye, so I knew I had to take it easy and not take any more shots, but other than that, he didn’t hurt me.”
Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone each took plenty of punches in a three-round battle won by Diaz in a unanimous decision.
Cerrone got what he wanted as Diaz engaged him in a standup battle for all 15 minutes of the fight, but Diaz put on a clinic. He landed 258 strikes and connected at an 82 percent clip, a record for a three-round fight, according to CompuStrike.
“I just wanted to stand and play. I got outboxed,” Cerrone said. “I talked a lot of (expletive), and a bigger, better dog showed up tonight. I’ve got to go back and get yelled at by my coaches and figure out what I did wrong and then come back and get at it again.”
Diaz and Cerrone squashed whatever issues existed between them after each receiving $70,000 fight-of-the-night bonuses.
Johny Hendricks picked up a bonus for best knockout after finishing Jon Fitch in 12 seconds. The loss was just the second in the past 25 fights for Fitch.
“I told my coaches I was just going to hit him as hard as I could and see what happened,” Hendricks said.
Two 24-year-old fighters had breakout performances to kick off the card.
Jimy Hettes dominated Nam Phan on the ground for three rounds, taking the decision 30-25 on two cards and 30-26 on the other.
Also, Alexander Gustafsson knocked out Vladimir Matyushenko midway through the first round with a jab as Matyushenko came forward.
All five fights on the undercard went the distance.
Danny Castillo won a decision over Las Vegan Anthony Njokuani, and Ross Pearson outlasted Junior Assuncao.
Dong Hyun Kim, Jacob Volkmann and Diego Nunes each won decisions, as well.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.