Alistair Overeem has been suspended by Glory Kickboxing due to a failed drug test.
Overeem last fought in a kickboxing rubber match against Badr Hari. The former UFC heavyweight overcame adversity and emerged victorious by unanimous decision. Several months after the bout, Glory announced that ‘The Demolition Man’ received a one-year suspension for failing a drug test, changing the outcome to a no-contest. The kickboxing promotion released an official statement that said:
“Alistair Overeem has been removed from the GLORY rankings and his fight again Badr Hari is ruled a “No Contest” due to a violation of GLORY’s anti-doping rules. His suspension is for 12 months, starting at his last fight – COLLISION 4. And he must return a percentage of his wages.”
After losing to Alexander Volkov by a second-round TKO in February 2021, Overeem parted ways with the UFC, starting a new chapter in his fighting career. ‘The Demolition Man’ was excited to test the waters in free agency, leading to his appearance at Glory Collision 4.
On October 2022, Overeem was matched up against his rival ‘The Golden Boy,’ who the former UFC fighter has found twice at K-1 kickboxing events. ‘The Demolition Man’ won the first fight in 2008, and Hari won the second fight in 2009. The rivalry was supposed to be settled in October, but the no-contest has changed everything.
Is this the first time Alistair Overeem has failed a drug test?
In 2012, Alistair Overeem was scheduled to fight Junior dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight championship. During a pre-fight drug screening, Overeem tested positive for a high testosterone level, leading to his removal from the bout. He would later appeal the decision by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which was denied.
It should also be noted that Overeem fought fourteen times in Pride Fighting Championship, which was known for allegedly allowing performance-enhancing drugs. With that said, ‘The Demolition Man’ had plenty of accomplishments that could’ve been without steroids. The 42-year-old is a former Strikeforce heavyweight champion, Dream heavyweight champion, and K-1 World Grand Prix champion.
