Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem will fight the first-ever K-1 heavyweight champ Badr Hari in bouts under K-1 and mixed martial arts rules.
DREAM announced today that Overeem and Hari will fight under K-1 rules at the New Year's Eve "Dynamite!! 2008" event in Japan. Afterwards, the two will meet again in 2009 to fight in a bout under mixed martial arts rules.
Both fighters are coming off fights where they employed illegal tactics.
Overeem fought Mirko "Cro Cop" at DREAM 6 in September, and although Overeem was on his way to winning the fight, Overeem connected on knees on the groin that led to the fight being declared a no contest.
Hari, fighting in the finals of the K-1 World Grand Prix, threw away his shot at the tournament title when he ground and pounded and stomped his opponent en route to a disqualification loss. Hari not only cemented himself as the runner-up, he was later stripped of his heavyweight belt.Hari, primarily a kickboxer, has only fought once in MMA, losing in 22 seconds via submission at a Shooto Holland show in May 2002.
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