UFC 141 Results: 3 Reasons Alistair Overeem May Not Be Ready for a Title Shot

Alistair Overeem impressed in his UFC debut against former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar on Saturday night at UFC 141.

The former Strikeforce champion came in with a low base and ripped at Lesnar with devastating knees and kicks to the body.

It was a performance that proved once and for all Overeem's No. 3 positioning in the heavyweight rankings.

The UFC has already confirmed the upcoming championship bout between Overeem and Junior dos Santos.

Most in the MMA world are already singing praises to Overeem as the heavyweight division's uncrowned king, but a step back and deep breath opens up an entirely different look in regards to the title picture.

As the former Strikeforce heavyweight champion, Dream heavyweight champion and K-1 World Grand Prix champion, there is no questioning whether or not Overeem deserves a shot at UFC gold. He has gone above and beyond to earn a crack at the most prestigious title in the sport.

Still, there is major skill gap between dos Santos and Cain Velasquez in comparison to the rest of the division.

Is the hype real?

The world will soon know as Overeem is set to trek foot into some serious upper-echelon territory.

Here are three reasons he may not be ready for a title shot.

Bloated Record

In combat sports, fans tend to become overly infatuated with records instead of consistent performances against quality opposition.

When evaluating Overeem's climb to the top of the heavyweight division, people generally point to the statistical fact that he's currently riding an 11-fight win streak, but a closer look at that record doesn't yield such impressive opposition.

In all of those wins, Overeem has only faced two ranked heavyweights in Lesnar and Fabricio Werdum.
The bout against Werdum was incredibly sloppy and could've gone either way at various points.

Overeem can be given the benefit of the doubt. There were rumblings over a pre-existing injury that may have marred his performance that night.

At UFC 141, Lesnar, who was coming off over a one-year layoff due to a second case of diverticulitis, was an obvious underdog against the surging Overeem. It wasn't much of a surprise to watch Overeem put the former UFC champion away so easily.

Junior dos Santos represents uncharted territory for "The Reem." This is a completely different level than anything Overeem has dealt with since his resurgence back into the mainstream spotlight.

UFC Jitters

Barring the winner of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix finale bout between Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier, there isn't a single fighter in the heavyweight division that deserves a shot at UFC gold more than Overeem.

With that said, it's tough to be propelled into the UFC spotlight so quickly. Overeem was lucky enough to get an opportunity to lick his chops against Lesnar, but he'll be deep in the trenches against dos Santos.

Lately, it's a common occurrence to see MMA legends come over and wilt under the bright lights of the UFC.

Another bout could've served Overeem well before an ultimate showdown with the heavyweight champ.

Shaky Will

For those unfamiliar with Overeem's career, one of his biggest criticisms has always been his inability to battle back from adversity.

There are signature bouts throughout his career against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Chuck Liddell and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira where he started off strong and eventually folded under the pressure.

This is certainly a new day and age. The Overeem of old is no more––or is he?

Since his heavyweight run, we have yet to see "The Reem" face true adversity. Dos Santos may be able to answer a lot of questions about Overeem's improved fight game.

While Overeem is the most complete striker in the division, dos Santos is the best boxer, and he boasts the chin and grit to go along with it.