UFC 141 results in Brock Lesnar's retirement, Alistair Overeem's rise

Overeem likely broke one of Lesnar’s ribs with kick that ended fight

Dec 31, 2011 (1:30 a.m.)

By Case Keefer

Conflicted is the best word to describe the mood after the UFC 141 main event.

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  Nate Diaz puts away Donald Cerrone and their bad blood at UFC 141

  December 31, 2011

  By Case Keefer

  The feud between Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone at UFC 141 followed the same trajectory as the vast majority of grudge matches in mixed martial arts. Lingering dislike turns into full-fledged hatred a few days before the fight.

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  UFC 141 Diaz vs. Cerrone

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  UFC 141
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  UFC 141 live blog: Alistair Overeem TKOs Brock Lesnar into retirement

  December 30, 2011

  By Case Keefer

  Turns out Alistair Overeem's striking really is that good. The man who has held almost every notable mixed martial arts belt except the UFC strap embarrassed former champion Brock Lesnar in the main event of UFC 141 Friday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Following an onslaught of knees and kicks to the body, Overeem finished Lesnar by TKO at 2:26 of the first round.

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  Weigh-in for UFC 141

  Weigh-in for UFC 141 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Thursday, December 29, 2011.

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  Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone can’t wait to fight each other

  December 29, 2011

  By Case Keefer

  At his core, Nate Diaz respects UFC 141 co-main event opponent Donald Cerrone as a fighter. “I can appreciate some of his stand-up, jiu-jitsu and wrestling,” Diaz said. “He tries to fight a little bit more than the rest of the guys who get in there trying to win the rounds. That’s what you’ve got to do, but I appreciate he’s a guy who wants to fight.”

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  UFC 141 weigh-in: Heavyweight giants set to battle Friday night

  December 29, 2011

  By Case Keefer

  The fight poster promoting UFC 141 illustrated Brock Lesnar as nine pounds heavier than main event opponent Alistiar Overeem. The difference wasn’t as significant Thursday when the two weighed in for tomorrow night’s headlining bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Lesnar came in at the heavyweight limit of 266 pounds, only three more pounds than Overeem.

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  Return of Brock Lesnar looms large for UFC

  December 28, 2011

  By Case Keefer

  A press conference featuring Brock Lesnar usually turns into an unofficial experiment timing how long the 6-foot-5, 265-pound former heavyweight champion can keep his cool while bombarded with questions he doesn’t care to answer. It took less than five minutes Wednesday at the MGM Grand lobby. Lesnar (5-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) broke out of his stoic pose and bit down on his lip when a reporter asked about oddsmakers installing him as an underdog at UFC 141 against Alistair Overeem (35-11 MMA, 0-0 UFC).

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  UFC 141 News Conference

• UFC 141 breakdown, betting odds and picks

  December 28, 2011

  By Case Keefer

  A near-pick’em heavyweight fight with high stakes would seemingly polarize opinions. That wasn’t the case with the Las Vegas Sun’s UFC 141 picks panel. Although Alistair Overeem enters Friday’s main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena as a slight -150 (risking $1.50 to win $1) favorite, all three prognosticators sided with the +120 underdog in Brock Lesnar.

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  Breaking down UFC 141 meeting between Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem

  December 27, 2011

  By Case Keefer

  The prevailing thought surrounding the UFC 141 main event Friday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena indicates the fight will play out in one of two ways. Option A: Brock Lesnar uses his world-class wrestling and pounds Alistair Overeem out after getting the fight to the ground. Option B: Overeem employs his elite kickboxing and buries Lesnar on the feet.

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  UFC 141 Workout
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  UFC 141’s Jacob Volkmann on the rise

  December 27, 2011

  By Case Keefer

  One fighter in the UFC knew about Brock Lesnar’s championship pedigree long before the rest of the organization. UFC lightweight Jacob Volkmann was a teammate of Lesnar’s on the University of Minnesota wrestling team in 2000. Volkmann was a redshirt freshman the year Lesnar won a national championship. “We never hung out or anything like that,” Volkmann said. “He was very quiet and kept to himself. He’s always been the same Brock.”

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  UFC 141: An overview of the upcoming card in Las Vegas

  December 14, 2011

  By Case Keefer

  The UFC is marketing former Strikeforce and K-1 champion Alistair Overeem as the rare fighter who can match Brock Lesnar’s sheer size and strength. Perhaps Overeem can also go toe-to-toe with Lesnar in terms of his outspoken persona. Overeem hasn’t backed down verbally from Lesnar leading into their UFC 141 main event, scheduled for Dec. 30 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

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  Alistair Overeem granted conditional fight license after missing drug test

  December 12, 2011

  By Case Keefer

  The UFC 141 main event between Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem averted a near disaster Monday afternoon at a Nevada State Athletic Commission meeting. Commissioners deliberated for an hour on what to do with Overeem’s request for a fight license after the 31-year old from Holland failed to meet the specific requirements of the state’s order for an in-training drug test last month.

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  Alistair Overeem, Brock Lesnar headline UFC New Year’s card in Las Vegas

  September 6, 2011

  By Case Keefer

  The UFC abruptly killed rumors surrounding two of mixed martial arts’ most feared heavyweights, Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem, Tuesday afternoon. The promotion announced it had signed Overeem, the former Strikeforce champion, to a contract and booked a fight against Lesnar, a former UFC champion, for his introduction. Lesnar (5-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) and Overeem (35-11 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will meet at the annual New Year’s Eve weekend card, which is slated for Friday Dec. 30 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and expected to serve as UFC 141.