By FCF Staff

After weeks of speculation as to whether former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem would ever compete again under the Zuffa banner, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has announced today that the Dutch competitor will fight Brock Lesnar, December 30^th. (Pictured: Overeem throwing Brett Rogers)

The December 30^th bout will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. No details regarding Overeem’s new UFC contract were released.

Overeem (35-11) will make his Octagon debut having won seven straight fights. The K-1 kickboxing champion last competed in June, when he worked his way to a unanimous decision win over Fabricio Werdum in the opening round of Strikeforce’s heavyweight grand-prix.

Overeem was then unable to compete in tourney’s semi-finals, scheduled for September 10^th, due to a reported toe injury. After Overeem and several other of his Golden Glory teammates were released by Zuffa recently, questions remained as to whether or not the decorated fighter would ever compete for the UFC.

Golden Glory reached out to the promotion, however, and reported issues regarding the issuing of fighter payments to the competitors and not their management have evidently been resolved.

Lesnar (5-2) has not fought since last October, when he was overwhelmed by reigning champion Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 and stopped in the first round. The accomplished wrestler has spent much of 2011 sidelined with another bout of diverticulitis.