Overim: "Emelianenko refused to fight me three times"

Former Strikeforce and DREAM heavyweight champion Alistar Overeem said his team has tried three times to arrange a fight with Fedor Emelianenko.

According to the Dutchman, he was ready to be an opponent for the legendary Russian to fight on October 23 in Moscow at the Bellator tournament, but Emelianenko preferred to face Timothy Johnson.

"We tried to make this fight when he fought Werdum and I fought Brett Rogers - we were favored. Then we asked for this fight after he lost to Werdum - we were turned down again. And now he's turned it down again. In total, three refusals, with all due respect to Fedor, I think that side has no desire to fight me, and I can't blame him. I'm getting a little old myself. He's older than me, he's 45 or 46 years old. But I've done everything to make this fight happen, both 10 years ago and now," Overeem said on The MMA Hour.

Recall that Overim returned to kickboxing after being fired from the UFC. "Rome" will fight Glory heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven on Oct. 23.