http://www.usatoday.com/sports/mma/post/2011-09-06/ufc-arranges-lesnar-overeem-for-december/546080/1 Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem will clash at the end of the year for the right to a title shot, the Ultimate Fighting Championship said Tuesday. Lesnar-Overeem has been scheduled for Dec. 30 in Las Vegas. The match-up pits two of the top four heavyweights on the USA TODAY/MMA Nation consensus rankings. Overeem signed a contract Tuesday with Zuffa, the parent company of UFC and Strikeforce. He was the reigning Strikeforce heavyweight champion, but he will now fight exclusively for UFC. "For me, it's a very special day," Overeem told USA TODAY. "I'm excited and everybody on the team is excited." This content is protected CAPTION This content is protected The winner of the December bout will receive a title shot, but Overeem didn't need the fight to get one."I had the option to fight for the title (as my first UFC bout), but then I had to wait," Overeem told USA TODAY. "I love to fight. I love to be active." A championship fight between champion Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos is already set for Nov. 12, so the next heavyweight title affair likely would not be scheduled until well into next year. Between mixed martial arts and kickboxing, Overeem had 24 fights from 2007 through 2010. But he has fought only once this year, so he opted to face Lesnar rather than sit around for the Velasquez-Dos Santos winner. Overeem becomes the second Strikeforce champion to leave that promotion for its larger sibling. Welterweight Nick Diaz vacated his 170-pound title earlier this year to face UFC champion Georges St. Pierre. Despite Overeem's status as a Strikeforce beltholder, Zuffa released him and other members of the Netherlands-based Golden Glory gym last month. Zuffa executives blamed Golden Glory's management for demanding a payment structure that does not suit the promotion's standard practice, but the gym relented and negotiations restarted on a new contract for Overeem. The December fight appears to be a classic clash of styles. Lesnar's offense revolves around his powerful wrestling and fast takedowns. Overeem established himself as one of the world's best kickboxers by winning the K-1 World Grand Prix last year. "I'm a fan of his fighting," Overeem said of Lesnar. "He's a big wrestler. ... (But) I'm a fighter who puts a lot of energy in training, preparation work, so we're going to be doing that all over again, just now we're going to focus on a little bit on his fight style." Both Lesnar and Overeem have been recovering from health issues. Lesnar underwent surgery earlier this year after a flare-up of the intestinal diverticulitis that sidelined him for a year from 2009 to 2010. Overeem is coming back from an rib injury incurred during June victory in the first round of the Strikeforce World Grand Prix against Fabricio Werdum. "It was fractured in a bad place," Overeem said. "I already started training again. Not 100% yet, but I'm feeling good. I can basically do everything." The Los Angeles Times first reported news of Lesnar-Overeem. Scheduling the fight for Dec. 30 means it will take place on a Friday, rather than the usual Saturday date for UFC's pay-per-view cards. The day was at the request of the fight's host, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, officials told the Times. The new deal with UFC means the end of Overeem's days in K-1, but he characterized that part of his career was always merely a "side step" prompted by a challenge from kickboxer Badr Hari years ago. "My goals have been achieved in K-1," Overeem said. "I already became champion. This just seems like the next logical step. UFC is regarded as the highest achievable, so of course, that's what I'm going to aim for."
Diaz, 170 - Shields, 185, Overeem, HW. Looks like Hendo from 205 is next and then most likely Gilbert from 155. All the champs are taken. SF will house lower level fighters. If guys get cut, I guess they will get a chance to sign for SF before being cut again.