‘I got bad vibes’… Alistair Overeem knocked out a teammate in the UFC after the icons developed a fierce rivalry in the gym

EXCLUSIVE: Alistair Overeem destroyed a teammate and UFC legend in a ferocious performance.

The powerhouse, renowned for his sensational striking skills honed through kickboxing at the very highest level, stepped up to the plate in a big way when he went toe-to-toe with an MMA icon.

WOW: Lerone Murphy reveals how a near-death experience put him on the path to headlining UFC London

Alistair Overeem destroyed Andrei Arlovski

Back in 2016, Alistair Overeem and Andrei Arlovski were teammates in one of the best gyms in America.

Alas, the pair never saw eye-to-eye, sparking a rivalry that eventually played out inside the cage, with ‘The Demolition Man’ finishing the former UFC world champion in front of a raucous crowd in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Reflecting on the situation during an exclusive interview with Sporf, Overeem explained: “Andrei was a teammate at Jackson Wink MMA, but we didn’t really train together, and there was always animosity between us. It didn’t come personally from me because I’m ok with everybody, but from him, there was bad energy and vibes. So, when the UFC asked me to fight Arlovski, I said, ‘yes’ because we’d not trained much together and we weren’t really friends, so I accepted the fight. It required me to alter some things, I changed locations, he trained with our BJJ coach.

“It was interesting because I was training at Greg Jackson’s gym, and he was in Andrei’s corner because of their personal relationship. I don’t really take fights personally. If I fought him or didn’t fight him, it didn’t really matter to me — it’s just a sport. I beat him in an exciting fight in the Netherlands, so it was a home match to me.”

Alistair Overeem conducted a 50-hour science observation

While Overeem carries dynamite in his fists, he’s much more than just a power puncher.

The Dutchman possesses an extremely high fight IQ, breaking down rivals with his sharp strikes, before ultimately pouncing like a shark when his opponents are at their weakest.

With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that the superstar is an expert at crafting game plans, which is a skill that transcends the cage.

When the former K1 world champion noticed that those in his training camp were suffering from a problem, he went above and beyond to fix it. Showcasing his intellect, Overeem conducted an observation to help his coaches beat the addiction.

Featured Image Credit: Getty