Russian Invasion Halted
The UFC is continuing to focus on their expansion throughout the world as the top promotion for MMA.
They have done a great job of doing just that as they are clearly known as the top promotion and have fought in multiple continents.
They have largely ignored a few major countries though included Russia but that has begun to change.
The UFC began to see an influx of talent from Russia when there never seemed to be much coming for years.
Fedor Emelianenko was the biggest name in Russia but he refused to sign with the UFC leaving them out of the Russian market.
Then came the smaller fighters who began to rise through the ranks fast with their mix of experience and a different style of fighting.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was the one thing that separated many of the best fighters from the rest but the Russian brought Combat Sambo into the fold.
That background turned out to be a good one with a mix of BJJ and wrestling bringing in a new great base.
Fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov have been coming for years now and he is the leader of the pack.
The lightweight champion is a fighter that nobody has figured out and in almost every other division there is someone just like him making his way through the rankings.
Not all have that base in Combat Sambo but all bring in a different type of experience in fighting through the Russian circuit.
They have fought more than anyone else with an attitude in Russia about getting out there and being active making them tough people to beat.
The Russian invasion of the UFC with fighters like Nurmagomedov, Zabit Magomedsharipov and Magomed Bibulatov all on big winning streaks.
Alexey Oleinik could not match those long runs through the heavyweight division because not many fighters can.
Still, Oleinik was one of those Russians looking to take over a division and on his way there he would get a chance to beat a living legend in front of a home crowd.
With the UFC making a new commitment to Russia and their latest trip to the country was going to feature plenty of Russian talent.
The main event was going to highlight Oleinik who was in front of his own people for the first time in his UFC career.
To take advantage of this chance he was going to have to beat Alistair Overeem who is one of the more experience UFC fighters in the roster.
Oleinik brings his own experience like most Russians and came into this fight as the more experienced fighter out of both of them.
At 41 years old he was the older fighter and with 69 pro fights, he was the guy bringing in more experience than Overeem which is a rarity.
Overeem was the guy with more UFC experience though as he has been doing his thing in the top promotion in the world a lot longer.
After many years in the heavyweight division, Overeem continues to be a fighter that nobody can take easy.
Although he has not been as consistent as he needs to be recently, at any point he can end a fight just like any other heavyweight.
Oleinik was the guy who was taking the role as the prospect in this one as he was beginning to rise through the ranks.
He looked like some new blood, despite his age, in the heavyweight division and a fighter who could challenge for the title at some point soon.
Getting past Overeem was going to be a big way for him to get through to that title sooner rather than later.
To get the win Oleinik looked to get the fight where he wanted it, on the ground where he could sink in his signature Ezekiel Choke.
Overeem was able to get out quickly though and bring the fight to the feet where Oleinik remained on top of him.
The kickboxing of Overeem came in though and he unleashed some vicious knees with the last one near the end of the round dropping the Russian.
Overeem jumped on Oleinik and finished things off to take the win and shut down the rise of Oleinik.
For Oleinik it is back to the drawing board while Overeem took the much-needed win to give him two in a row after losing two in a row and showing he still has it.
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