UFC on FOX 13 results: Alistair Overeem takedown leads to finish of Stefan Struve

Alistair Overeem

PHOENIX – Alistair Overeem once again pulled out of a slump and likely saved his octagon career, this time with a vicious first-round stoppage of Stefan Struve.

Overeem (38-14 MMA, 3-3 UFC) trapped a grounded Struve (25-7 MMA, 9-5 UFC) against the fence and unleashed punches that removed the 6-foot-11 fighter from consciousness.

The heavyweight fight was part of today’s UFC on FOX 13 event at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix. It aired on FOX following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

The official end came at the 4:13 mark of the first round after referee John McCarthy stepped in to save Struve, who was fighting for the first time since a previously-unknown heart condition put his career on pause.

Struve was set to return in July at UFC 175, but concerns over his health scratched his fight against Matt Mitrione at the last minute. After being cleared to fight, he was booked against Overeem.

The former Strikeforce heavyweight champion gave him little quarter, bullying his way into the clinch and into a takedown, where he landed punches overhead as Struve alternatively worked to create space and tie up.

After Struve’s repeated attempts to get away brought the pair to the octagon’s edge, Overeem closed in overhead and fired off several right hands. With his head wedged between the canvas and cage, Struve’s head had nowhere to go, and the punches knocked him out.

Overeem gets back on the winning track after a knockout loss to Ben Rothwell endangered his UFC career. Struve loses his second straight UFC bout including a knockout loss to Mark Hunt in March 2013.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on FOX 13 results include:

• Alistair Overeem def. Stefan Struve via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 4:13
• Matt Mitrione def. Gabriel Gonzaga via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:59
• Joanna Jedrzejczyk def. Claudia Gadelha via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• John Moraga def. Willie Gates via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 4:06
• Ben Saunders def. Joe Riggs via submission (injury) – Round 1, 0:57
• Drew Dober def. Jamie Varner via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:52
• Bryan Barberena def. Joe Ellenberger via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 3:24
• David Michaud def. Garett Whiteley via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Henry Cejudo def. Dustin Kimura via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Ian Entwistle def. Anthony Birchak via submission (heel hook) – Round 1, 1:04

For more on UFC on FOX 13, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s Matt Erickson contributed to this story from on-site in Phoenix.)