Chichen Itza...Christ the Redeemer...The Colosseum...Machu Picchu. These are some of the New Seven Wonders of the World, announced on July 7, 2007, in Lisbon, Portugal.
Now, on the 7th of September, 2011, the Eighth New Wonder of the World has been announced:
Brock Lesnar vs Alistar Overeem.
A five round number one contender bout set for December 30th at the Mandalay Bay Arena, Las Vegas, this fight will see two of the biggest and most skilled Heavyweights clash styles in a classic 'Wrestler vs Striker' duel. Except with enough muscle in the Octagon that a collapsed canvas a la Brock vs Big Show is not out of the question.
Perhaps the best aspect to this fight is that both men have a great amount at stake. This is the beginning of Lesnar's comeback path, seeking to prove he has beaten, or at least tamed, his illness and that he is a fighter worthy to have been, and be again, a world champion. Criticised for his apparant inability to take a punch, he has taken it upon himself to dismiss the critics in the most brutal and explicit manner possible, by taking on the reigning K-1 World Champion. Should he win, even by a Fitch-esque performance, he will be rightly heralded as a worthy contender to the winner of Velasquez vs Dos Santos.
For Overeem this is the culmination of his fighting career. Carrying a fearsome reputation this is the perfect time for him to step into the Octagon and showcase his MMA skills. Well known for his striking, if he can resist the juggernaut like takedowns of Lesnar he will have shown himself to become as well rounded as his bicep muscles. A (T)KO victory over Lesnar will strike the UFC Heavyweight division like a thunderbolt and he will likely come in to the Championship fight a strong favourite, depending on how either Velasquez or Dos Santos win.
This fight is also great business for the UFC who will break the million-buy rate for the first time in this year's PPV calendar, and regardless of who wins the fight, all involved will come away at the very least a lot richer. Of course the fans are also winning here, the UFC once again displaying their knack for putting on both big money fights but also highly relevant and competitive bouts. A true product of the current sports training and nutritional science approach taken by these two fighters, this may very well be the peak of the monster heavyweight fights promised by the emergence of Lesnar and Overeem ever since they started lifting weights.
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