Alistair Overeem
Active 2011–present · rated in 4 editions · peak overall 88.0
Scouting report
Holding world titles in Strikeforce, DREAM, and K-1, Alistair "The Demolition Man" Overeem is one of the most accomplished heavyweight kickboxers to enter the Octagon. Born in Hounslow, England, and representing the Netherlands, Overeem challenged for the UFC Heavyweight Championship with knees, reflected in a 95 Kickboxing rating, 93 Strength, and 88 Overall score.
Peak ratings
By edition
Overeem made his UFC debut at UFC 141 in Las Vegas in December 2011, stopping Brock Lesnar in round one with liver kicks, before suffering knockout defeats in slugfests against Antonio Silva and Travis Browne. His K-1 World Grand Prix kickboxing pedigree, clinch knees, and strength are reflected in an 88 Boxing and 95 Kickboxing.
Overeem adapted into an economical, tactical striker across 2014 and 2015, outpointing Frank Mir at UFC 169 in Newark, knocking out Stefan Struve in Phoenix, defeating Roy Nelson in Dallas, and finishing former champion Junior dos Santos in round two in Orlando. His kickboxing counters, oblique kicks, and tactical fight IQ anchor his 87 Boxing and 93 Kickboxing.
Overeem knocked out Andrei Arlovski with a front kick and punches in Rotterdam to earn a title shot against Stipe Miocic at UFC 203 in Cleveland, before knocking out Mark Hunt in Las Vegas and defeating Fabricio Werdum at UFC 213. His striking variety, guillotine chokes, and composure justify his 88 Boxing and 86 Fight IQ.
Overeem rebounded from a loss to Curtis Blaydes by scoring consecutive first-round ground-and-pound stoppages over Sergey Pavlovich in Beijing and Alexey Oleinik in St. Petersburg, before dominating Jairzinho Rozenstruik across five rounds in Washington D.C. prior to a last-second stoppage. His wrestling, top strikes, and kickboxing anchor his 88 Boxing and 86 Fight IQ.
Alistair Overeem and the kickboxer who bulked up
Alistair Overeem came through Pride and K-1 and held the Strikeforce heavyweight title before he reached the top promotion. He made his debut in December 2011 by knocking out Brock Lesnar with a body kick, and later he stopped Junior dos Santos in the second round in 2015. Over the years he became more economical, and in 2016 he stopped Andrei Arlovski with a front kick and punches. Draft him for a striker with real variety.
Overeem, one rating at a time
Boxing. Strong and heavy handed. His punches finished dos Santos and Struve.
Kickboxing. The top of his card. Body kicks, knees and oblique kicks all came from a K-1 background.
Wrestling. Solid. He could stuff a takedown and mount his own from a clinch.
BJJ. Capable of guillotines and back control when a fight went to the floor.
Strength. One of the most physically imposing men in the pool.
Durability. Fine, but he was knocked out by Antonio Silva and Travis Browne in the same era he was winning.
Cardio. His lowest number. Big frames burn fuel, and he was best when fights ended early.
Fight IQ. Good tactical judgment, especially in his later years when he stopped brawling.
A kickboxing threat from every angle
At 95 in Kickboxing he is the best pure striker on the board apart from a few specialists. The variety matters. He can hurt with the body kick, the front kick, the knee or the hook, so opponents cannot defend a single line. In a sim built on damage and finishes, that range is what makes him dangerous.
Cardio is the cost of the frame
His 78 in Cardio is the lowest rating on the card. Fights that pass the early rounds give a patient opponent a chance to test him. Pair him with the idea of a fast start, and be wary of drawing out the middle of the fight against a fighter who does not tire.
Keep exploring
Closest heavyweight profiles to Alistair Overeem, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Mirko Cro Copbest kickboxing 93 · weakest bjj 72
- Alexander Volkovbest kickboxing 92 · weakest bjj 80
- Travis Brownebest strength 88 · weakest bjj 74
- Marcos Rogerio de Limabest strength 89 · weakest bjj 76
- Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Alistair Overeem's strongest attribute, Kickboxing.
Draft Alistair Overeem into your build
Alistair Overeem enters the pool on any spin landing on heavyweight between 2010 and 2019. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Alistair Overeem is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Alistair Overeem's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.