By Guilherme Cruz

Photo Esther Lin

Alistair Overeem announced a new partnership with the manager Glenn Robinson, owner of Blackzilians team, and the news parted opinions among the Brazilians who train there, once Overeem is the next opponent of Junior dos Santos for the UFC title.

Jorge Santiago and Gesias Cavalcante, two representatives of the Brazilian team in Florida, talked to TATAME about the new addition to the camp.

“I never met Overeem, I really like Cigano, but we’re professionals. My heart is broken because I’m a Brazilian, but I would train with him. We gotta keep the most professional as we can”, Santiago said. “I was informed he signed with our manager, but I’m don’t know if he’s coming to train with us here”.

Gesias, who spent a few weeks in Rio de Janeiro in 2011, when he trained side by side with Junior dos Santos at Team Nogueira, says it’s an uncomfortable situation for him.

“I really like Cigano and I never met Overeem. The only information that got to me was that he signed with Glenn Robinson, our manager, but one thing is not related to the other”, affirmed.

Glenn owns Authentic Sports Management, responsible for the athletes’ contract, and Blackzilians, training center where guys like Rashad Evans, Melvin Guillard, Eddie Alvarez and Anthony Johnson train at.

“Kenny Florian is managed by him, but he doesn’t train here, for an example”, explains Cavalcante, revealing that Alistair had been to the TC, but didn’t put on gloves. “Overeem spent two days here but didn’t trained. We didn’t spoke to each other”.