Junior Dos Santos: 7 Reasons He Will Crush Alistair Overeem

Brazilian bomber Junior dos Santos finally realized his life's work when he knocked out Cain Velasquez last November, claiming the UFC heavyweight title in the process.

Now Dos Santos is set for a collision course against arguably his toughest test to date in Alistair Overeem, a champion in both the MMA and kickboxing realms.

The juggernaut Dutchman recently used an impressive first-round TKO victory over Brock Lesnar in order to become the next immediate contender for Dos Santos, who will now use his skill set to dispatch of "The Demolition Man."

Improved Cardio

In his bout against Roy Nelson, dos Santos learned that not every opponent will wilt under pressure.

The decision victory over the Season 10 winner of The Ultimate Fighter proved to be an invaluable asset that has stayed with dos Santos.

Last June, the Team Nogueira fighter paced himself and exerted himself in spurts against the heavy-handed Shane Carwin.

Dos Santos leveled the Greg Jackson fighter early, though he continued to beat on and dominate the heavyweight great over the course of three rounds, earning the decisive decision win in the process. 

Boxing Skills

Before his Octagon debut, Fabricio Werdum was the consummate favorite leading into the heavyweight tilt at UFC 90, but when President Dana White released his usual video blogs pre-fight, the line began to change as the world bore witness to the speed, precision and technical prowess of dos Santos' boxing skills.

Knockout Power

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To add to his already-impressive boxing acumen, dos Santos wields real knockout power in both his left and right hands. 

His sweet shot is his uppercut, which has knocked out Fabricio Werdum and sent many other opponents reeling from the daunting blow.

While in the UFC, dos Santos has knocked out Stefan Struve, Gilbert Yvel, Gabriel Gonzaga and Cain Velasquez during his undefeated 8-0 stretch in the Octagon. 

Underrated Jiu-Jitsu Skills

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We've never seen it in the cage, but dos Santos didn't receive a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by accident, since the honor was bestowed upon him by the legendary Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who is regarded as one of the best submission specialists to ever enter the sport. 

Ground and Pound

If dos Santos can't end the fight with an array of strikes on the feet, the heavy-hitter is not opposed to following his opponents to the mat, where he has displayed some vicious and accurate ground-and-pound blows, which helped cinch decisive finishes of both Gabriel Gonzaga and Cain Velasquez. 

Overeem and His Questionable Chin

Overeem has looked every bit unstoppable since he's entered the heavyweight division, though many forget that the Dutchman has shown that even he can succumb to strikes.

In fact, six of his defeats in MMA have come by way of knockout against formidable opposition.

If dos Santos can land his hands, Overeem could be in a world of hurt.

Confidence

Undefeated in the UFC at 8-0, dos Santos has become the sport's premier heavyweight thanks to his heavy hands and athleticism, which has put him well above the rest of the pack.

The Brazilian has since cultivated a rare aura of invincibility that no man has been able to sway otherwise.