UFC targeting summer for Junior Dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem title fight

by Dann Stupp on Jan 04, 2012 at 9:00 am ET

The UFC's first heavyweight title fight of 2012 is likely to take place mid-year.

While on Tuesday's debut episode of "UFC Tonight" on FUEL TV, UFC president Dana White said he's tentatively scheduling a bout between heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos (14-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and recent UFC 141 winner Alistair Overeem (36-11 MMA, 1-0 UFC) for the summer.

However, no specific date has been determined.

"Hopefully this summer," White said when asked about the heavyweight tilt. "This summer is probably when it's going to go down.

"Alistair wants to take some time off. Dos Santos is ready but needs to get some training in. So hopefully, this summer."

Overeem claimed the first shot at Dos Santos' belt this past weekend with a first-round destruction of Brock Lesnar in UFC 141's pay-per-view headliner and title eliminator. Overeem, who recently joined the UFC after he was pulled from the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix and stripped of the organization's title, now has won 12 consecutive fights.

Dos Santos, meanwhile, hasn't fought since his November championship upset of Cain Velasquez at the UFC's first network-televised event. He recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) an injured knee is close to 100 percent following a "minor" surgery and that he expects to return to training as soon as this week. He's won nine straight fights (and all eight of his UFC bouts).

Both Dos Santos and Overeem have solid ground skills (in fact, more than half of Overeem's wins have come via submission), but White expects a slugfest.

"This is one of those fights where no matter where this ends up, it'll be exciting," he said. "But I see this fight standing up and finding out who hits the hardest and who has the best chin."

Although the date remains uncertain, the UFC traditionally holds major shows in Las Vegas on Memorial Day weekend (May 26) and Fourth of July weekend (July 7). Both are possibilities for the title fight.

For more on the UFC's upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

(Pictured: Junior Dos Santos)

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