Getting poleaxed by the "uppercut from hell" hasn't dented Dutch UFC star Alistair Overeem's taste for combat.
In his most recent bout last December, he made highlight reels for the wrong reason when knocked cold by a picture perfect left uppercut from Francis Ngannou.
It was one of the most memorable one-punch combat sports KOs in recent memory and sparked suggestions Overeem would consider retiring.
However the world No.2 returns to the octagon in Chicago on Sunday (AEST) on the UFC 225 card.
Headlined by Australian Robert Whittaker's middleweight title defence against Cuban Yoel Romero, the star-studded program will be seen on Main Event in Australia.
Overeem, 38, has been handed another tough assignment against local fighter Curtis Blaydes, the No.4 ranked heavyweight, whose last victim was Sydneysider Mark Hunt.
Overeem has experienced more ups than downs in his career and seems philosophical rather than traumatised by the brutal KO.
"Fighters get hit and they keep going, they get knocked down and they stand back up. I think I'm the example," Overeem told AAP.
"I've had many losses, many setbacks but a lot more victories, a lot of beautiful moments.
"It's all about keeping going as long as you want to keep going because that of course is a factor.
"Health is a factor but I just love my lifestyle.
"I love the sport, I see improvement every day. I'm very fit still, I always take excellent care of my body."
Accomplished wrestler Blades, whose only UFC loss was to Ngannou, is another in the crop of emerging heavyweights eager to usurp established stars like Overeem.
"The new guys come up and they are going to try and take what you have and it's going to be my job to stop them from doing it," Overeem said.
Another fighter with the same attitude is 39-year-old former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski, who takes on Australia's much younger Tai Tuivasa in Chicago.
"There's nothing better than to whup somebody else who is 13 or 15 years younger than you," Arlovski said.
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