CLASS:  HEAVYWEIGHT

WEIGHT: 256 LBS

HEIGHT:  6'5"

RECORD:  36-11-1

STYLE:  KICKBOXING, MUAY THAI, SUBMISSION GRAPPLING

AGE:  31

FROM:  HOUNSLOW, ENGLAND

FIGHTS OUT OF:  AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

SEEN WEARING MMA ELITE:  UFC141

Overeem made his fighting debut in Pride Fighting Championships in 2002, defeating Yusuke Imamura with a TKO in just 44 seconds.  Moving to Strikeforce, Overeem won the Strikeforce Heavyweight title in 2007 defeating Paul Buentello in round 2 due to submission by knee strikes.  Going 4-0 in Strikeforce pushed Overeem to the UFC where he fought in his UFC debut in UFC141 against former heavyweight champion Brock Lesner with a 1st round TKO, which earned him a title shot against current heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.