Fans Want A ‘Fast Finish’ (And So Does Sakai)

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to its APEX facility this Sat. night (Sept. 5, 2020) for UFC Vegas 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a heavyweight main event pitting longtime veteran Alistair Overeem opposite once-beaten bruiser Augusto Sakai.

Considering the fact that both Overeem and Sakai finish more than half their mixed martial arts (MMA) contests by way of devastating knockout, it’s not unreasonable for fight fans to want a fast finish when the cage door closes this weekend in “Sin City.”

Don’t worry, Sakai wants that too.

“He hits hard, and so do I,” Sakai told MMA Junkie. “He’s a good striker, as am I. When we meet, I’ll show that I’m ready for this challenge. Everyone wants to see a fast finish. That’s also what I want. I never like it when it goes to the judges. But it’s part of our sport. Across from me stands another tough fighter who trained just as hard, and wants to win just as badly.”

A spot in the Top 5 could await the winner.

That’s because former UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier has officially retired. In addition, Derrick Lewis is scheduled to throw hands with Curtis Blaydes in November, so the top half of the division is about to get a major facelift in the coming months.

Sakai (15-1-1) is currently ranked No. 9 at 265 pounds against No. 7 for Overeem (46-18, 1 NC). Once Francis Ngannou rematches Stipe Miocic, we should have a better idea of where the contenders stand in the heavyweight division, unless Jon Jones or Brock Lesnar decide to play spoiler.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 9 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the main card portion that also streams on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 9: “Overeem vs. Sakai” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.