“I actually embrace the idea,” Browne told MMAjunkie. “When you have top athletes that are in the same weight class, sometimes they can butt heads, but the way I look at it is iron sharpening iron. If the stars ever align again and him and I meet in the cage, then it will be an even better fight than it was last time.”
Browne and Overeem collided this past August in one of the most dramatic one-round fights in UFC history (watch it below). Overeem nearly stopped Browne with a vicious assault of knees to the body early on before Browne stormed back to stop the Dutchman with a front kick to the jaw.
Even though it’s been less than a year since that UFC Fight Night 26 bout, Browne said there are no hard feelings with Overeem – at least on his end.
When Travis Browne knocked out Alistair Overeem, Dave Walsh’s heart shattered into a thousand pieces. It was sad to watch, but it happens. Overeem got cocky, and that’s why we love him, but it’s also why he lost. He took a foot to the dome, and now Travis Browne is in the title hunt.
Overeem has left the Blackzilians and is looking to join Jackson/Winklejohn in an interesting turn. The very camp Browne calls home. Normally, this might upset some fighters, but not Browne. He embraces it, or so he told MMAJunkie:
“If you personally don’t get along with somebody, that doesn’t mean they can’t help you professionally,” Browne said. “I’ve personally never had any issues with Overeem, and professionally, I’ve never had any issues with him. For me, what would concern me is if we had a professional beef. But there hasn’t been any of the sort, so we’ll just be here to push each other to be the best in the world.”
“Just having somebody there to push you when you need it is great,” Browne said. “It’s not going to be about just me benefitting from this. He’s going to learn a lot too being out here at Jackson’s.
“I always say that during our camps here at Jackson’s, if you don’t sit down with yourself a couple times per camp and question if you really want to do this sport, then you’re not pushing yourself hard enough. Here at Jackson’s, I’ve had multiple days where I’ve questioned myself and if I want to do this. We just push each other so hard to be the best, and he’ll see what that feels like – and in a good way, not in a bad way. I don’t intend to threaten anybody. It’s the hard work here that’s get you through.”