MMA-URLS

UFC 149 finally has a marquee matchup. Pride legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will make a semi-quick return from a broken arm to face French striker Cheick Kongo in Calgary on July 21st. UFC president Dana White tweeted about the fight: @danawhiteDana White UFC 149 July 21 Calgary, Canada Heavyweight Bout Cheick Kongo VS Minotauro Nogueira Apr 25 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply Big Nog (33-7-1, 1 NC) was doing well against Frank Mir at UFC 140 in December, battering him with punches and close to finishing the fight. He chose to switch to an ill-advised guillotine though, and Mir latched onto his arm with a kimura. Nog tried to fight it off but Mir snapped his arm and the bout was over. Just over seven months seems like a very quick recovery time from that type of injury, and hopefully Nog isn't coming back too quickly again (he did for the Brendan Schaub fight at UFC 134, but still won). Kongo (17-7-2) is coming off a disappointing first-round TKO loss to Mark Hunt at UFC 144 in February. He had gone undefeated in four bouts entering the Hunt fight. Clearly the bout will be on the main card, but there's no telling where it will be placed yet due to the lack of a main event at the moment. SBN coverage of UFC 149

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Two of the UFC's top heavyweights will look to get back on track in July.Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will meet Cheick Kongo at UFC 149 on July 21 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Calgary Sun reported on Tuesday. UFC president Dana White tweeted on Wednesday that the fight will not headline the pay-per-view. Speaking of which, Jose Aldo was originally scheduled to headline the card, but White said on Tuesday that the promotion is considering moving him to UFC 147 on June 23 in Brazil. He was open to the idea of booking Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson as the UFC 149 main event but said the organization has yet to finalize those plans. Nogueira (33-7-1, 1 NC) hasn't fought since he was submitted by Frank Mir via kimura at UFC 140 in December. Nogueira never tapped, however, the fight was stopped after Mir broke his right arm. The 35-year-old Brazilian is 2-3 in his last five fights. As for Kongo (17-7-2), the 36-year-old Frenchman recently had his four-fight unbeaten streak snapped by Mark Hunt when he lost via TKO at UFC 144 in February. The loss marked his first since his Dec. 2009 submission to Mir at UFC 107. UFC 149 will take place at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. It will mark the UFC's first visit to the city.

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Heavyweight legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will return from the broken arm he suffered against Frank Mir in December to face Cheick Kongo at UFC 149 in July.

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Former Pride Fighting Championships heavyweight ruler Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will return to the Octagon at UFC 149 against Cheick Kongo.

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Despite likely losing a headlining bout, UFC 149 is beginning to fill up, as a heavyweight matchup between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cheick Kongo will take place at the July 21st event. UFC 149 takes place at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Nogueira (33-7-1-1NC) returns after taking on Frank Mir at UFC 140 in December. The rematch between the two ended with Mir submitting “Minotauro” with a kimura, breaking his right arm in the process. Nogueira underwent surgery after the fight, and had to spend several weeks recovering. He has since resumed training and will look to continue his current pattern of alternating wins and losses in his last six fights. He will take on Kongo (17-7-2) who will also be looking to return to the win column. Kongo took on Mark Hunt at UFC 144 in February, and was knocked out by the “Super Samoan” just two minutes into the fight. This was Kongo’s first loss since his own defeat to Frank Mir at UFC 107 in December 2009. UFC 149 was expected to be headlined by Jose Aldo and a soon-to-be announced opponent. However, UFC President Dana White stated that Aldo is likely going to headline UFC 147 in Brazil, instead. The light heavyweight championship fight between Jon Jones and Dan Henderson is a strong possibility to headline this event. For complete coverage of UFC 149, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com

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Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cheick Kongo will meet at UFC 149 in Calgary, while two middleweight contenders headline a UFC event in July.

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Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cheick Kongo will meet at UFC 149 in Calgary, while two middleweight contenders headline a UFC event in July.

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After some time on the shelf the return of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira from one of the most gruesome submissions in MMA history is drawing closer. Nogueira, who has 33 wins in MMA under his belt, has been scheduled to face Cheick Kongo at UFC 149 on July 21. The card will take place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Calgary Sun first reported the Nogueira-Kongo bout, and though not official the claim was given some substance after being Re-Tweeted by the UFC’s Canadian branch. Nogueira (33-7-1) was defeated by Frank Mir this past December, refusing to tap to a nasty Kimura and suffering a snapped limb for his bravado. The iconic Brazilian has since had surgery, complete with a plate and several screws being inserted into the arm, and has been training in Brazil for some time. Comparably, Kongo (17-7-2) was handed his first career loss via TKO by Mark Hunt at UFC 144. The defeat ended Kongo’s hopes of putting together a three-fight winning streak, beating Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione. Though Nogueira-Kongo is certainly an attractive bout, UFC 149 still lacks an official main event as featherweight champion Jose Aldo was recently removed from the card and placed in the lineup for UFC 147. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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A heavyweight matchup between Frenchman Cheick Kongo and Brazilian Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira has been added to UFC 149 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The matchup was first reported by the "Calgary Sun." UFC 149, which could potentially feature a headliner between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and top contender Dan Henderson, takes place July 21 at Calgary's Scotiabank Saddledome. The evening's main card airs on pay-per-view, and FX and Facebook are expected to carry the prelims.

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An interesting heavyweight match up is on pace to take place at UFC 149, as multiple Canadian sources are reporting that Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will face Cheick Kongo. The card, which takes place July 21 from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, recently lost Jose Aldo. The UFC featherweight champion was slated to compete, but is likely headed [...]

Posted in: ufc, kongo, cheick kongo, jose aldo, canadian sources

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Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Cheick Kongo have reportedly agreed to fight at UFC 149 in Calgary. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

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Do you think we'll ever live to see the day when civil organizations are established in order to protect the rights of the undead? Will there ever been a global rally to grant the undead the same rights as normal humans? Sure the creators of True Blood lightly dabbled in the concept of equal rights for vampires -- but what about zombies? Those things are undead too. Could society ever get to the point in which our government quarantines a part of the city for zombies to mindlessly roam around? Perhaps it will get to that point. In fact, I don't doubt that it won't. However, at the heart of every quarantine is just another variation of segregation. The true question I'm trying to ask is can you see a future in which your little girl can sit next to a little zombie boy in elementary class and have a fruitful, lifelong relationship? That's heavy stuff to think about on a lazy Saturday. It's apparent Cheick Kongo wants none of this 'equal rights for the undead' nonsense. The dude is dressed head-to-toe in regalia that will tremendously increase his silver bullet firing accuracy. Just the hat Kongo is wearing in this interview with Germany's Ground and Pound TV adds 20 points to his treasure hunting skill tree. It's clear that Cheick Kongo is the closest thing the world has to Van Helsing, so it's about time we all just accept it as a part of our reality and watch the video below in peace.

Posted in: right, kongo, cheick kongo, undead, pound tv

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Let's keep it professional, boys. Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz, along with heavyweight bruiser Cheick Kongo, make the most of their time overseas as part of the UFC on FUEL TV 2 caravan, which pulls into the Ericsson Globe Arena tomorrow night (April 14, 2012) for "Gustafsson vs. Silva." Even former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields gets in on the action. Ortiz is gearing up for his upcoming trilogy against Forrest Griffin at UFC 148 on July 7 in Las Vegas, while Kongo is still smarting from his technical knockout loss to Mark Hunt at UFC 144 earlier this year. As for Shields, he's contemplating a change in weight. But those issues are put aside when the training room gets populated with young, nubile Swedes. After all, if you're going to surround yourself with a bunch of sweaty grapplers, why not make the most of the opportunity? For more UFC on FUEL TV 2 activities click here.

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Even though UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione has five wins inside the Octagon he’s still as green as countless fighters still attempting to establish themselves on the regional scene against lesser opposition and minus the pressure of the UFC’s spotlight. One of the rare individuals to have made his professional debut inside the Octagon thanks to a stint on TUF, Mitrione doesn’t mind the accelerated learning curve he’s been dealt even if he hasn’t always been prepared based on his relative inexperience as a Mixed Martial Artist. One of those lessons occurred his last outing where he took on Cheick Kongo. While many expected a stand-up war the fight was far from that with the Frenchman opting to clinch against the cage and remain elusive instead of engaging. In the end Mitrione lost a decision, the only defeat of his career. Now Mitrione is ready to mix it up again, having healed from a few nagging injuries, and already has an opponent. The 5-1 “Meathead” spoke about what he gained from the stumble against Kongo as well as his mindset entering his next match-up while joining The MMA Hour as a guest. “I didn’t know how to engage somebody that didn’t want to engage, without making myself vulnerable and over-committing to something,” explained Mitrione when asked about his loss to Kongo. “So that’s something that Chris Lytle and I went back to the drawing board, and he taught me how to do that, and I think that really made a pretty substantial difference. I feel much more confident. If I ever have a fight like that again, I’ll be able to handle that and address it pretty aggressively.” “The loss, it sucked. I still feel like I didn’t get beaten at all in that fight, I just feel like I lost it, via decision,” the testy 33-year old continued on the topic, clearly still bothered by the result. One subject he was far more positive about pertained to his next outing inside the infamous eight-sided cage. Though Mitrione wouldn’t reveal who he’d be fighting he did make it clear he’s excited and expects MMA fans to feel the same way once it becomes official. “I cannot wait. Cannot wait! It’s a fight I’ve wanted for a long time,” an animated Mitrione exclaimed. “I think it’s a great match-up. I think the fans will really be happy with it.” With many of the roster’s heavyweights already booked for action on upcoming cards, most notably at UFC 146, remaining possibilities for Mitrione seem slim but could be boosted by the addition of a Strikeforce heavyweight. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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In the fifth fight of the seven-fight UFC 144 main card, Mark Hunt continued his unexpected run with a solid TKO win over Cheick Kongo in the first round. This is Hunt's third win in a row, and suddenly sets up him as an unlikely contender in the thin UFC heavyweight division. Kongo started quickly with leg kicks and an attempted takedown against the fence, but Hunt shrugged him. Hunt landed a nice counter that dropped Kongo, but he let him up and continued his assault on the feet until Kongo crumpled in the corner, finished. The bout was halted at 2:11 of the first round. Kongo was the highest-ranked guy Hunt has defeated in his three-fight win streak, and it should earn Mark a fight against a contender next time out. Kongo's four-fight unbeaten streak was ended with the loss. The bout was the only heavyweight fight on the card What was the high spot of this fight? The finish. Hunt is a boss when he has someone hurt, and this was no different. He took his time and landed some crushing blows to finish Kongo. Where do these guys go from here? As stated above, Hunt will likely get a top-level opponent next time out. He actually wants to fight next weekend on the Australia card, but Dana White said that wasn't happening. Dana also said how much he respected Hunt's will to fight, and made it clear that he's a fan. Me too. Who will his next opponent be? Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira? Probably not, but a bout with Mike Russow makes sense. Kongo is definitely going to fall a few spots in the rankings, but his standing in the company probably won't be affected very much. A bout between Kongo and Dave Herman would probably be fun, but Herman probably hasn't done enough to earn it. Facing the loser of the Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell fight could work. Watch it now, later or never? Now. Mark Hunt knocking people out is awesome. Stop reading this and go watch! SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 144 in the full entry. UFC 144 Results: Winners, Losers, And Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Frankie Edgar Doesn't 'Need' To Drop To Featherweight - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Results: Rampage Jackson Goes Out Like A Lamb In Loss To Ryan Bader - Nate Wilcox UFC 144 Results: Ben Henderson And Anthony Pettis Ready For Rematch - Nate Wilcox UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Results And Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Results: Dana White Says Anthony Pettis Will 'Likely' Get Next UFC Lightweight Title Shot - Bloody Elbow UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC Japan Video: Georges St. Pierre Gets Attacked By A Mob Of Kids With Samurai Foam Swords - Bloody Elbow Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 139: UFC 144 Results Review UFC 144 Results: Ryan Bader Dominates Rampage Jackson To Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Mark Hunt Knocks Out Cheick Kongo In The First Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Jake Shields Wins Hard Fought Decision Over Yoshihiro Akiyama - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Tim Boetsch Upsets Yushin Okami In The Third Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC 144 Results: Hatsu Hioki Defeats Bart Palaszewski By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Anthony Pettis Knocks Out Joe Lauzon In The First Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Takanori Gomi Stops Eiji Mitsuoka In The Second - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Vaughan Lee Submits Kid Yamamoto With An Armbar - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Riki Fukuda Dominates Steve Cantwell To Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Chris Cariaso Defeats Takeya Mizugaki By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Issei Tamura Knocks Out Tiequan Zhang - Matthew Roth

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Two of the UFC's most powerful heavyweight sluggers duked it out last night (Feb. 25, 2012) as Mark Hunt took on Cheick Kongo on the UFC 144 main card in Saitama, Japan. Be honest, if you thought after his UFC 119 debut loss to Sean McCorkle, that Mark Hunt would be riding a three fight win streak in the UFC heavyweight division by 2012, please raise your hand. Don't even try to fool me. Mark Hunt was an afterthought. A Pride leftover that the UFC wanted nothing to do with to the point where they simply wanted to buy out his contract rather than give him a fight with the promotion. So how in the world is he "in the mix" now after a dominant stoppage of Cheick Kongo? And what happens next for both heavyweights? Follow me after the jump for our Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo UFC 144 post-fight review and analysis: Mark Hunt appeared to be in trouble after the opening seconds when he slipped throwing a kick. Kongo, a fighter who's wrestling has grown by leaps and bounds as of late, swarmed him, bullrushing "The Super Samoan" in an attempt to put the former K-1 champion kickboxer on his back. Fortunately for Hunt, he was able to not only get back on his feet, but also fend off Kongo's bid to drag him to the ground. He even reversed the Frenchman's clinch attempt and was able to separate and force a reset in the cage center. Once they bot back to striking, Hunt's natural instincts took over. He subtly dodged a big Kongo punch and countered with a swift left hand which rocked his opponent. Instead of following up, he just went right back to work and when he tagged the Wolfslair fighter once more, this time he swarmed him along the fence. Hunt repeatedly connected with right hands and Kongo finally dropped to the canvas. He was in mount raining down punches when the referee finally had seen enough and realized there would be no dramatic comeback for Kongo this time. For Cheick Kongo, he gave up on his offensive grappling game way too easily. He had Hunt pinned against the fence and he was simply unable to leverage the New Zealand-native onto the canvas with a big takedown. When he got back to standing, he also failed to protect his chin during striking exchanges and that's simply a mistake you can't afford to make against such a talented striker like Mark Hunt. I would expect him to square off against someone like Dave Herman next. Other options would include Roy Nelson or perhaps the upcoming loser between Travis Browne and Chad Griggs. For Mark Hunt, one of 2011's best stories continues to get better. At 37 years old, he's actually developed a semblance of takedown defense and ground skills, at least enough to hold his own, survive and get back to where he wants it which is the striking realm. Hunt hits so incredibly hard and his accuracy is uncanny. It's crazy to think he's in the mix now at heavyweight, but after three straight wins and after knocking off Kongo, who was unbeaten in his previous four fights, last night's performance was a huge accomplishment. I could see Hunt landing a big fight with a wide variety of fighters. A bout with Stefan Struve would be a very intriguing stylistic match-up. Also, a fight with Pat Barry would make the fanboys drool. Other potential candidates for a future bout include Fabricio Werdum or the winner of Travis Browne and Chad Griggs. It's still difficult to wrap my head around it, but major props to Mark Hunt for what he's been able to accomplish. So what did you think, Maniacs? Is Mark Hunt the feel good story of 2012 already? Who would you like to see "The Super Samoan" matched up with next? Sound off! For complete UFC 144 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.

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SAITAMA, Japan - "The Super Samoan" is officially surging. Former K-1 kickboxing champion Mark Hunt earned his third consecutive win in the UFC by dispatching heavyweight Cheick Kongo with ruthless efficiency in the first round of their UFC 144 bout. The fight took place on UFC 144's main card, which took place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and aired live on pay-per-view. It followed prelims on FX and Facebook.

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Mark Hunt has done it again: The former K-1 champion returned to Japan at UFC 144 and knocked out Cheick Kongo in the first round. Hunt didn't do much in the first couple minutes of the fight, but the one thing Hunt can always do is hit really, really hard, and that's just what he did against Kongo: Hunt dropped Kongo with a left hand to the chin, then allowed Kongo to get back up but continued stalking him, landed more punches to knock Kongo down, and then jumped on him and finished him off on the ground. The official time of referee Herb Dean's stoppage was 2 minutes, 11 seconds. More Coverage: UFC 144 Results | Hunt vs. Kongo Live Blog Hunt is now, amazingly, on a three-fight winning streak in the UFC heavyweight division. When Hunt signed with the UFC in 2010, most people thought he was washed up and had no business inside the Octagon. But he has rededicated himself to MMA and is looking impressive. Hunt is still a long way from the top of the heavyweight division, but it's going to be exciting to see what he can do next.

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The heavy hitting heavyweights were heaving their way through some action tonight (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012) in Japan, as Cheick Kongo and Mark Hunt met in the center of the cage to exchange punches at the UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" event at the Saitama Super Arena. This fight reeked of matchmaking designed to give fans at the arena two big men to gawk at while they tried to take each other's heads off. And when it comes to Kongo and Hunt, two kickboxers with big power and solid chins, that's exactly what UFC was promising. And that's exactly what was delivered, as Hunt blasted his way past Kongo via knockout in the very first round. Hard as it may be to believe, Mark Hunt has won three fights in a row in the UFC. It's 2012 and "The Super Samoan" is still knocking fools out. Pride never die and all that. Sadly, the first action of the fight was a failed low kick from Hunt that had him off balance enough to send him ass over tin cups. Kongo tried to rush him but couldn't get close enough to do any damage. They exchanged shots until Hunt landed a strong right hand that sent the big Frenchman to the floor. Hunt let him back up to continue on and after seeing the way he exploded with a few more shots to knock him out, he may have just been wanting to have some more fun. It was certainly fun to watch. Remember, too, to check out our ongoing live coverage of the UFC 144 main card action by clicking here.

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Mark Hunt defeats Cheick Kongo by TKO. The stoppage came at 2:11 in the first round. Leg kick early from Mark Hunt but he slipped and Kongo pushed forward. Kongo clinched against the cage but Hunt quickly turned him into the fence. Huge reach difference between the two fighters was apparent as Hunt's punches were coming up short. Hunt landed a straight left hand as Kongo came forward which dropped the French fighter. Mark Hunt pressed forward and landed to Cheick's jaw. Kongo tried to run away but Hunt kept his pressure and threw heavy right hands that ultimately put the frenchman away. Several punches on the ground sealed the win and forced the referee to step in and call the fight. Mark Hunt is now 3-1 in the UFC. He's quickly making a case for a top 10 ranking. Cheick Kongo was beginning to string wins together but this loss will drop him down the heavyweight ladder. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

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SAITAMA -- This is the UFC 144 live blog for Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt, a heavyweight bout on tonight's UFC pay-per-view from the Saitama Super Arena. Kongo (17-6-2) won both his fights last year, beating Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione. Hunt (7-7) also went 2-0 in 2011, defeating Chris Tuchscherer and Ben Rothwell. Follow the live blog below. More Coverage: UFC 144 Results | Latest UFC News Round 1: Round 2: Round 3:

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In a Heavyweight fight at UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson, former K-1 champion Mark Hunt (7-7; 2-1 UFC) meets Cheick Kongo (17-6-2; 10-4-1 UFC). This is the fifth of seven fights on the PPV main card. The USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings currently have Kongo ranked at #12 and Hunt at #23. The UFC 144 PPV card begins this Saturday, February 25 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, and will run for 4 hours on PPV. Both Hunt and Kongo came into MMA from a kickboxing background. Hunt made a name for himself in K-1 while Kongo fought primarily in the European scene. Yet despite these striking backgrounds, this fight is likely to be settled on the ground. Kongo has fought a number of former kickboxers before, and his usual strategy is to ground them and use his improved ground control to grind them out. Meanwhile, when Hunt loses it is almost always due to submission - six of his seven MMA loses come from some form of arm-related submission on the mat. How do these two stack up? Hunt: 37 years old | 5'10" | 74" reachKongo: 36 years old | 6'4" | 82" reach What have these two done recently? Hunt: W - Ben Rothwell (UD) | W - Chris Tuchscherer (KO) | L - Sean McCorkle (Sub)Kongo: W - Matt Mitrione (UD) | W - Pat Barry (KO) | D - Travis Browne (Unanimous Draw) How did these two get here? Samoan Mark Hunt is perhaps the most unlikely member of the top 25 rankings today. The former K-1 World Grand Prix champion and Pride veteran was once a formidable force in MMA. But when Pride closed in 2007, his career seemed to end with it. From 2006-2010 his record dropped from 5-1 to 5-7 with 6 straight loses, all but 1 of them coming within the first 2 minutes. He was picked up by the UFC to satisfy an old Pride contract, lost again, and seemed done. Then, miraculously, he won two straight last year. And suddenly, Mark Hunt is in the mix for the UFC Heavyweight title. I don't know how far he can ride this resurgence, but I love finding out. Cheick Kongo has been the UFC Heavyweight gatekeeper for some time. Fighters like Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez have defeated him and moved on to title shots, while possible contenders like Matt Mitrione and Mirko Cro Cop have found their dreams smashed by Kongo. He's currently on a 4 fight undefeated streak that includes his wild KO win over Pat Barry last year. It seems unlikely that Kongo will move from gatekeeper to contender, but if he keeps winning, he could make it. Why should you care? If you don't love Mark Hunt, you are no friend of mine. And I actually think this is a winnable fight for him. Mark Hunt: UFC Heavyweight title contender? Could be... For a more detailed look at Hunt vs. Kongo, check out the fight Dissection by Dallas Winston. More UFC 144 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144 Judo Chop: The Striking Defense of Mark Hunt - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

Posted in: ufc, hunt, kongo, vs, henderson

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Every mixed martial arts (MMA) pay-per-view (PPV) card deserves a red-meat Heavyweight match up, and this it, with Mark Hunt and Cheick Kongo providing one hell of a cut of steak on the UFC 144 main card from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, later tonight (Feb. 25, 2012). There is a guy precisely in the middle of the pack in every division – too good to be anything but a favorite against green newcomers, but a likely underdog against the cream of the crop – and Kongo is precisely that measuring stick within the division. Gifted with a great physique and crisp striking, he’s worked hard to improve his takedown defense, and he’s got an underrated top game. He’ll punish people with big elbows and wear them down to submission. Hunt, meanwhile, is one of the best kickboxers from the K-1 circuit. He is essentially a throwback to the days of early MMA. Gifted with perhaps the best chin in the history of sport or kickboxing, the big-boned Samoan throws crushing strikes with an all-in mentality. His ground game is, at best, a work in progress. Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC 144 fight between Mark Hunt vs Cheick Kongo: The Breakdown Kongo’s career has taken a nice uptick of late, with his miracle knockout over Pat Barry, and a veteran-savvy dismantling of then-unbeaten Matt Mitrione, where his better sense of pacing and experience took "Meathead" to his first defeat. Kongo’s got a riddle in front of him in that it might be tempting to trade with Hunt and prove a point, but that’s dangerous thinking. Hunt is a lethal bomber with a far less developed ground game. The litmus test is whether Kongo pushes his ego aside and takes it there, or gets the itch to prove he can finish Hunt standing. Better men have tried, and very few have succeeded. The Pick Kongo seems to be coming into his own as a heavyweight. His adaptability is one of his best strengths, and he should be able to do well enough standing, especially in the clinches, to set up takedowns.From there he’ll work elbows and positional improvements, which is the diet of stuff that tends to tire a one-dimensional banger like Hunt out. Kongo by second-round rear-naked choke. Kongo via submission Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC 144 results of all the "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) action. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX "Prelims" bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:30 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Sunday morning. See you later! Jason Probst can be reached at www.twitter.com/jasonprobst and at jason@jasonprobst.com.

Posted in: ufc, hunt, ppv, kongo, ground game

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UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson will showcase a heavyweight collision between two of the division's top kickboxing specialists in the Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo match. The bout is slated for the pay-per-view portion of Saturday night's show from the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, Japan. Though he's of Samoan descent and hails from New Zeeland, Mark Hunt (7-7) should feel right at home in Japan. A staple in both K-1 and Pride FC, Hunt has been a professional kickboxer since 1999 and boasts the vaunted honor of being the 2001 K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, meaning he's one of the rare few with true "world class striking." After achieving his dream in the pure striking arts, Pride Fighting Championships approached Hunt with an offer and he made a clean transition to MMA in 2004. Hunt was burned by the sport's intolerance for incomplete fighters against his first opponent, Hidehiko Yoshida, who was world class everywhere Hunt was not. The Olympic gold-medalist Judoka exploited his inexperience by taking him down and tapping him with an armbar, though Hunt's feisty perseverance through a few submission attempts and grappling transitions signified his natural instincts and gameness. He evened up his embryonic record by cramming a kick into the sternum of Dan Bobish for his first MMA victory, then skyrocketed his reputation by snapping Wanderlei Silva's five-year, eighteen fight undefeated streak. It's worth noting that Hunt outweighed Silva by a vast margin and the bout was a closely contested split decision, yet it was still an amazing accomplishment in only his third outing. The good vibes continued when Hunt picked off another Pride superstar in Mirko Filipovic, who had just risen through the ranks for an unsuccessful stab at Fedor Emelianenko's title. The highlight of the bout was CroCop's panic-inducing "cemetery kick" bouncing off Hunt's head unnoticed. Notching five straight after losing his debut, Hunt would then suffer an atrocious seven consecutive defeats, though his caliber of opposition included elite heavyweights like the aforementioned Emelianenko, Alistair Overeem and Josh Barnett. The ugly sequence concluded with tapping to Sean McCorkle's kimura in his UFC debut, and Hunt realigned the boat with back-to-back wins over Chris Tuchscherer (TKO) and Ben Rothwell (decision). More UFC 144 Dissections Hioki-Palaszewski | Gomi-Mitsuoka | Yamamoto-Lee | Fukuda-Cantwell Okami-Boetsch | Mizugaki-Cariaso | Zhang-Tamura French kickboxer Cheick Kongo (17-6) emerged in the Octagon with style in the form of two devastating TKOs (the late Gilbert Aldana, Christian Wellisch). Like Hunt, Kongo was a one-dimensional striker who was quickly inspired to fill the holes in his game after a submission loss, his version being a Carmelo Marrero armbar in his third UFC performance. Kongo racked up two straight decisions (Ausserio Silva, CroCop) before unveiling improved wrestling and scrambling in a split-decision loss to Pride vet Heath Herring. Continuing to chip away, Kongo notched three consecutive TKOs (Dan Evensen, Mostapha Al-Turk, Antoni Hardonk) but lost momentum against upper-echelon talent in Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir. Kongo has been flawless in his remaining four: he forced Paul Buentello to cry uncle with a series of elbows to the body, drew with Travis Browne (Kongo was docked a point for grabbing Browne's shorts), treated fans to an unforgettable come-from-behind knockout of Pat Barry and, most recently, handed the surging Matt Mitrione his first official loss. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson The overwhelming consensus is that Kongo will resort to his newly refined wrestling, which is hard to refute -- trading leather with a K-1 Grand Prix champion ranks alongside skinny jeans and country music as things to avoid at all costs. With that dynamic in mind, let's examine how Hunt approaches opponents who endeavor to drop levels for takedowns. His first and best line of defense is the vicious combination he sinks Tuchscherer with to the right, which is the right uppercut-left hook medley. Both punches are devastating and pack a massive wallop. Hunt's timing and accuracy is impeccable, and he rockets the uppercut to discourage his opponent from placing their head anywhere near its trajectory. He follows it up with his explosive left hook, which he uncorks with blinding speed and ungodly power. Despite his rotund girth, Hunt is deceivingly agile, quick and light on his toes, plus he's bullishly strong with a low center of gravity. His enhanced takedown defense is depicted to the left when Rothwell tries to slide under his overhand right to control his hips, but Hunt immediately lowers his base, retracts his hips and hurls him to the canvas. To the right is Kongo's method of closing distance in order to clinch and work takedowns. His gifts of natural strength, athleticism and his freakishly elongated frame are more prevalent than any high-level wrestling fundamentals. He was able to plant Mitrione, a beefy, former NFL player, on his back twice by squashing him into the fence and then peeling him up and away from it (below) by restraining his hips -- so the results are there. Kongo also deserves credit for going downstairs with the body shot that backs Mitrione up initially. The key difference on Saturday will be that Hunt has unparalleled footwork and counter-striking abilities compared to the fighters Kongo has implemented takedowns against in the past, and also won't be as leery about the incoming punches because of his kitchen sink of a chin. That means that shrinking the gap with his hands down and chin exposed as he does in the sequence above will not be devoid of risks. Additionally, most of the focus seems to rest on Kongo's improved takedowns rather than Hunt's equally enhanced sprawl and defensive scrambling. To be fair, I'd say Kongo has the made the greater strides in grappling. Beyond his takedown prowess, he is a mauler with elbows and ground-and-pound and has exhibited decent control from the top. Hunt's chin is one of the most bulletproof in the game but, with five-ounce gloves and a slugger like Kongo, a knockout is not unfathomable. Kongo's shown a pretty sturdy beard as well.y Kongo is an understandable favorite on the betting lines but numbers as high as +300 seem a little skewed. Admittedly giving way to a personal favorite, I think Hunt has a better shot at catching Kongo on the feet than being out-wrestled and contained for all three rounds. My Prediction: Mark Hunt by KO. All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo Hunt Kongo   13 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, mark, hunt, takedown, kongo

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Frankie Edgar won the UFC lightweight championship by defeating the incumbent BJ Penn in April of 2010.  Since then, Edgar has defended his belt three times.  Now, in an ideal world, that would’ve meant three new opponents, each providing disparate pugilistic permutations that would entertain solely on the basis of us getting to see “The Answer” facing someone different.  But the real world has proven less than ideal.  In his first bout after snatching Penn’s belt, Edgar had to fight… Penn.  After that, he took on top contender Gray Maynard.  Again.  And again.  Once Edgar became the UFC champ and had to fight to retain his crown, it was against people he’d already fought before.  That fact alone makes UFC 144’s main event – a pairing that pits Edgar against former WEC champ Benson Henderson – pretty damn special if you ask me.  For the first time in years, we are finally getting see Edgar scrap with someone without the last name of Penn or Maynard!  Never mind that UFC 144 is the promotion’s first return to Japan since UFC 29.  Edgar gets to defend his belt against someone new!  Hoo-frickin’-ray!  Anyway, here’s a preview of the main card. -Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson – Edgar has been in the cage with Maynard for so many rounds they would be considered married under common law in some cultures.  I guess that makes what’s about to happen between the champ and challenger – and I’m talking about the impending knock down-drag out violence they’re sure to provide – the most torrid of affairs.  What’s in store?  We all know these gentlemen can go hard for five whole rounds, that they don’t go down easily and that they can duke it out on the feet or settle matters on the ground.  What we don’t know, however, is if “Bendo” can deal with Edgar’s unwavering pace and ability to turn a transition into “Pow!  I just TKO’d your ass!”  I envision Henderson putting up a good fight, but eventually Edgar wears the poor guy down into a nub, and that’s all she wrote. -Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader – “Rampage” is still one of the best in the world at light-heavyweight, regardless of how the superhuman Jon Jones handled him.  Bader’s got great wrestling and can hit hard, but the TUF winner has flaws (as evidenced by how the very human Tito Ortiz handled him).  Therefore, unless Jackson’s vast mileage has caught up with him between now and the last time we saw him (and again, don’t hold his performance against Jones against him; mortals fall to Jones, that’s just how it is), he should have little problem stuffing every one of Bader’s attempts to manhandle him, and out-boxing the heavy-handed TUFer.  Rampage via decision. -Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt – Kongo can be exciting when he’s forced to be.  Or, he can hold dudes against the fence and knee them in the nuts relentlessly, which is not that exciting.  Hunt was a striking stud back in the day, and made more than a few PRIDE and K-1 events interesting.  Unfortunately, time has seen his ability and raw talent decline something fierce, so what we have competing in the Octagon now is someone who can pick off the scrubs, but who’ll have trouble with the tougher guys.  And Kongo is one of the tougher guys in the UFC’s heavyweight division.  I want to believe that Hunt will come out winging bolos and force Kongo to fight.  I don’t see that happening, though.  Kongo is going to mush Hunt against the fence, hold him there, and knee him where the sun doesn’t shine.  Kongo via painful decision. -Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama – Shields was the big man on campus when the school was Strikeforce, but since graduating to the University of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, his grades have plummeted.  But that’s okay, because UFC 144 Akiyama has made a name for himself by fighting hard and losing even harder  (other than a two-minute drubbing at the hands of Vitor Belfort, Akiyama left it all in the cage against Alan Belcher, Michael Bisping and Chris Leben, and did not look impressive at any time).  Anyway, Shields’ wrestling and jiu-jitsu should prove to be the deciding factor here, with Japanese judoka getting put on his back, and regaining his feet only after the referee pulls Shields off of him. -Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami – Boetsch, who made tossing guys on the head cool again, has been kicking ass since dropping to middleweight.  Meanwhile, in his last UFC outing, Okami looked absolutely horrific against champ Anderson Silva.  Like, “Why did this guy even take up fighting?” horrific.  Of course, in Okami, Boetsch is facing someone far tougher and accomplished than anyone else he’s ever faced, but still, watching someone get tossed on their head is fun.  If Okami comes in as gun shy and craptastic as he did against Silva, he’s going to be taking a short flight to Sideofthecage Land.  I’m picking the Japanese fighter to grind out the decision, but damn am I hoping we get to see Boetsch throw someone. -Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski – Palaszewki was on the fast train to Suckville after a mottled stint in the WEC, but in his Octagon debut he wrecked Tyson Griffin as if Griffin was a chump.  So here we are, with Palaszewski taking on Shooto and Sengoku champ Hioki in what should be a squash match for the Japanese fighter.  Why?  Because with the way Griffin’s been stinking up the joint as of late, defeating him doesn’t truly elevate Palaszewski to greatness, and Hioki has more skill in his stool than the American has in his whole body.  Hioki via decision. -Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis – Whenever you think Lauzon is going to lose, he spoils it by smashing his way to victory.  Pettis, who won the WEC belt right when it was about to no longer mean anything, is fantastic on the feet and capable of some wondrous moves, and in theory should be able to TKO his way to victory, but… it’s Joe Lauzon we’re talking about here.  Lauzon can explode and hit hard, and he can molest opponents on the ground.  Is he able to out-strike Pettis in a protracted standup war?  No, but he can surprise Pettis with a dose of knuckles to the grill and follow it up smoothly with some submission love.  And that makes him dangerous as hell.  I’m predicting Pettis to get the TKO, but damn could Lauzon pull another rabbit out of his hat.  That’d be cool, too.

Posted in: ufc, kongo, vs, someone, edgar

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MMAFrenzy continues our main card coverage of UFC 144 with a pair of breakdowns of Saturday’s card. Each day we will breakdown a pair of fights leading up to our breakdown of the UFC lightweight title fight between Ben Henderson and champion Frankie Edgar. Today we take a look at a pair of fights with Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo and Ryan Bader taking on Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. MMAFrenzy’s coverage of UFC 144 will begin with the Facebook and FX broadcast preliminary fights at 7:30 PM EST on Saturday evening. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy for complete coverage of UFC 144. Keys for Mark Hunt (Chris Leslie): Mark Hunt is quite frankly at a massive disadvantage in his fight with Kongo. The kickboxer is now facing another kickboxer but Kongo is not afraid to get the fight to the ground if need be. Out-gunned, under-sized, and with nothing left to lose, means that Hunt can actually be more dangerous that normal. Don’t be surprised, if Hunt feels he’s losing this fight, if Hunt just decides to go out on his shield with an all-out assault in the country that made him famous. Keys for Cheick Kongo (Bryan Robison): With the matchup with Hunt, a fight that plays out similarly to Kongo’s most recent fight, against Matt Mitrione, could be expected. Yes, Kongo has excellent kickboxing. But so does Hunt. What Hunt does not have, which has been a weakness in the past, is serviceable takedown defense. In his first UFC fight, against Sean McCorkle, Hunt was taken down at will and finished with a straight armbar in just over a minute. For Kongo, who is undefeated since losing to Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir in consecutive fights, he showed a much more versatile gameplan in his fight against Mitrione. And while he has the power to knock anyone out in the heavyweight division, Mark Hunt is not human. He took a head kick from Mirko Cro Cop and just stared at him afterwards, wondering why Cro Cop would do such a thing. So it seems that taking the fight to the ground and wearing Hunt down is Kongo’s best chance to earn the victory. Keys for Ryan Bader (CL): It is very, very simple for Bader when he faces Rampage on Saturday. Chin down, hands up, set up your shots with combos and take Rampage down before he can counter. If he does that, then Bader can be victorious. If he doesn’t, well then he will likely end up counting the lights on the ceiling or he will be ole’d around the octagon like a bull in a bullfight. Keys for “Rampage” Jackson (BR): Finally “Rampage” Jackson returns to his second home- Japan. It will be nearly six years to the day since his last fight in Saitama Super Arena. While he won’t have 50,000+ on his side, he will still have a significant crowd on his side. It is unlikely we will see the “Rampage” of old, one who comes forward aggressively and slams his opponents. He has been much more methodical over the last three years, with it being over three years since his last knockout, against his rival Wanderlei Silva at UFC 92 in December 2008. He has become more of a counter boxer than the aggressor, which will come in handy against Bader. Bader likes to move forward and put pressure on his opponent and eventually take him to the ground. Jackson can use that to his advantage, much like Tito Ortiz did against Bader, and when Bader comes in for a high takedown or even a double leg, counter against that with his premier knockout power.

Posted in: ufc, fight, hunt, kongo, bader

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Showdown Joe travels around Tokyo to cover all aspects of Saturday's UFC 143, including chats with Cheick Kongo and 'Rampage' Jackson.

Posted in: cheick kongo, ufc, showdown, rampage, kongo

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Two of the UFC's most dangerous heavyweight strikers will collide this Saturday night (February 25, 2012) as Mark Hunt takes on Cheick Kongo on the UFC 144 main card in Saitama, Japan. Mark Hunt was never widely expected to still be employed by the UFC at this point in his career but he's surprisingly on a two fight winning streak in the division and is now just one victory away from becoming completely relevant. He's hoping to secure that relevance with a strong performance against Kongo. Cheick Kongo has always been in the second tier in the heavyweight division, but has on several occasions knocked on the door to the top level. He's been unbeaten in his last four fights and if he can defeat the likes of Hunt, he'll be once again in a position for a very big heavyweight showdown down the road. Will Mark Hunt's incredibly comeback story continue in Japan? Does Cheick Kongo have the skill-set to defeat "The Super Samoan? What's the key to victory for both heavyweight brawlers? Let's find out: Mark Hunt Record: 7-7 overall, 2-1 in the UFC Key Wins: Ben Rothwell (UFC 135), Mirko Filipovic (Pride Shockwave 2005), Wanderlei Silva (Pride Shockwave 2004) Key Losses: Sean McCorkle (UFC 119), Gegard Mousasi (Dream 9), Melvin Manhoef (Dynamite!! 2008) How he got here: Mark Hunt got into fighting after impressing promoters at a night club. "The Super Samoan" didn't get an easy start in kickboxing, forced to fight tough top opponents early in his career when promoters were trying to use him as a stepping stone for their other stars. Instead, Hunt gained valuable experience against top opposition and came through with a respectable 15-4 record. Hunt got his big break in kickboxing in 2001. He had won the qualifier tournament in both 2000 and 2001 to advance to the K-1 World Grand Prix and he shocked the world by winning three fights in one night to win the K-1 World Grand Prix Championship. After a few more kickboxing matches, Hunt would transition to mixed martial arts. He would lose his debut in Pride via armbar but would go on an impressive five fight win streak that included wins against Dan Bobish, Mirko "Cro Cop" and Wanderlei Silva which would earn him fights against some of the toughest heavyweights in the world. He would lose every bout from 2006-2010, stepping into the squared circle against the likes of Josh Barnett, Fedor Emelianenko (for the Pride Heavyweight championship), Alistair Overeem and Gegard Mousasi, losing each fight via submission of the arm. Due to some leftover contract obligations from Pride after the buyout, Hunt was granted a pair of fights in the UFC. He would lose to Sean McCorkle via Kimura in barely a minute but would rebound against Chris Tuchscherer earlier this year with one of 2011's most memorable knockouts. His victory earned him another fight against a top heavyweight in Ben Rothwell and he capitalized on Rothwell's conditioning, earning a unanimous decision and continuing one of 2011's best surprise stories. Hunt has a tremendous opportunity to break through if he can defeat Cheick Kongo on Saturday night. How he gets it done: This one is pretty simple. Mark Hunt has a tremendous chin, the ability to check kicks and big time knockout power in his hands. He wants to keep this fight standing and he wants to be able to trade blows with Kongo. Hunt showed improved takedown defense and ground game in his last fight and he needs to do whatever it takes to remain upright and try to land that knockout blow before he's put on his back. It worked against Tuchscherer and it can happen again. Hunt also has some pretty heavy kicks so if he can land some of those and take some zip out of Kongo's takedowns and wrestling, that would be a big help as well. The main thing here is Hunt has a tremendous chin so if he can sucker Kongo into trading big power strikes, he's likely not going to be the one who goes down. Cheick Kongo Record: 17-6-2 overall, 10-4-1 in the UFC Key Wins: Matt Mitrione (UFC 137), Mirko Filipovic (UFC 75), Pat Barry (UFC on Versus 4) Key Losses: Frank Mir (UFC 107), Cain Velasquez (UFC 99), Heath Herring (UFC 92) How he got here: Cheick Kongo entered the UFC very highly trained in the striking arts which included Kendo, Karate, kickboxing and Muay Thai. Kongo had a big 5-1 stretch in his UFC career from 2007-2009 but eventual UFC champion Cain Velasquez stood in his path. Velasquez was nearly knocked out at the beginning of all three rounds by the Wolfslair fighter but would recover and put the Frenchman on his back to pull out a unanimous decision victory. Since the loss to Cain, Kongo has gone 3-1-1 in the UFC. For some reason, he was infatuated with Travis Browne's shorts at UFC 120 which resulted in the fight being a draw. His last fight against Pat Barry was one of the most memorable of 2011. After getting rocked and nearly knocked out on 2-3 occasions in a matter of 20 seconds, Kongo pulled off the ultimate Hail Mary by knocking Barry out cold with an uppercut-cross combo of his own once he got to his feet. He rose up a couple notches and earned a bout against the undefeated Mitrione, where he outwrestled the former NFL lineman and was able to hand "Meathead" his first career loss. With the victory, he scored a very intriguing bout with Mark Hunt for this Saturday night. How he gets it done: Cheick Kongo has a solid striking background but the key path to victory for the Wolfslair fighter is to be unpredictable in his attack, mix in some takedowns with his striking. Kongo isn't a great wrestler, but he's shown that it's a part of his overall game that he's put a lot of work into and it has steadily improved. He utilized his wrestling very well in defeating Matt Mitrione in his last fight and with his physique and tremendous overall strength, he might be able to muscle Hunt to the canvas. If the fight is standing, Kongo will need to avoid the low blows and the pants-grabbing. He's built a bad reputation for all the points that he's been deducted throughout his UFC career so the referee may be giving him a short leash. He'll also have to do a better job of playing defense. He's been hurt badly in some of his recent fights and he can't afford to do that against Hunt. Fight X-Factor: The biggest factor for this fight, while both men are more known for their striking, is going to be the battle between Kongo's improving wrestling and Hunt's improving takedown defense and ground game. Neither of these skills are elite or even close to elite for either man, but if Kongo doesn't like what he sees in the striking, it's been proven time and time again that he'll try to take the fight to the ground, especially in recent fights. If Kongo can't take Hunt down at will, he might be putting himself in a bad position to eat some big punches, but if he can put the former kickboxer on his back and keep him there, he's going to have a very strong chance to at least win a decision if not more. Bottom Line: This is the type of fight that makes hardcore MMA fans drool. Who'd have thought that a battle between Mark Hunt and Cheick Kongo would be relevant in 2012? Both men have a ton of power in their strikes, are terrific kickboxers and can finish fights. If this breaks out into a big slugfest, it could be one of the most entertaining heavyweight battles of the year. There also is a possibility of some slowdowns in the action, however, as Kongo has been known to shoot for takedowns and clinch for extended periods of time. He might do the same against Hunt if things aren't going his way, but you never know. This could be the best fight or the night or a complete letdown. It's a toss-up. Who will come out on top at UFC 144? Tell us your predictions in the comments below! Poll Which top heavyweight kickboxer will be victorious come Saturday night on the UFC 144 main card? Mark Hunt Cheick Kongo   4 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, fight, hunt, kongo, he

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At UFC Japan two big men with a KO power meet in the heavyweight tilt between New Zealand's own, Mark Hunt, and the French Muay Thai practitioner, Cheik Kongo. While Mark Hunt has won the K-1 Grand Prix, the highest title in the world of competitive striking, his technical skill is often overshadowed by the fact that it was largely his physical attributes which won him this title. Hunt only succeeded in getting to the tournament final by injuring Ray Sefo's eye in a losing effort against Sefo in the semi finals, drawing his fellow Kiwi into a brawl because he could not deal with Sefo's superior technical kickboxing. Cheik Kongo, on the other hand, receives enormous credit for his string of kickboxing titles despite a complete absence of any verification of an official kickboxing record. Kongo was once, though it is hard to believe now, in serious title contention in the UFC, after picking up 3 solid TKO wins through 2008 - 2009 before meeting Cain Velasquez and being taken down seemingly at will en route to a unanimous decision loss. It is hoped that this fight will remain standing, in which case it is important to consider the strengths of each man in that domain. Hunt's abilities are well know - he has one of the most solid chins in the history of combat sports. In his career he has taken Cro Cop's high kick flush on the jaw, and the strongest blows from Ray Sefo, Mike Bernardo and Jerome Le Banner. Hunt has mixed it up with the best kickboxers in the world and come out with mixed results, but has been knocked out cold only once, in an MMA match against Melvin Manhoef, perhaps the biggest puncher, pound for pound in the world. Hunt also holds a thunderous punch - being able to knock out the iron jawed Jerome Le Banner, and break the orbital bone of Ray Sefo. Once Hunt entered MMA, his career was perhaps the worst nurtured of any prospect, meeting Hidehiko Yoshida, Dan Bobish, Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop in his first four fights. Somehow managing, with a complete absence of MMA experience, to get the better of the latter three. Clearly Hunt fights best against strikers, Cro Cop and Silva being the two highest profile strikers in MMA at the time. But his matches against Josh Barnett, Fedor Emelianenko, Alistair Overeem and Sean McCorkle exposed his woefully inadequate takedown and submission defense. Since his loss to McCorkle in his UFC debut, however, Hunt has experienced a career renaissance - developing the takedown defense to repeatedly stuff Brock Lesnar's training partner, Chris Tuchscherer en route to a walk-away uppercut knockout during a sprawl. Hunt continued his improvement, out grappling veteran Ben Rothwell, and brutalizing him on both the feet and the floor. While Rothwell is no master of the ground game or of takedowns, he is certainly a better wrestler than Kongo, and will make Kongo's night long if he is forced to revert to his wrestling strategy. Hunt has, however, been prone to eating too many shots due to his great chin allowing him to. In a way reminiscent of Chuck Liddell, who could not learn to keep his hands up even when working with Howard Davis Jr., Hunt may be too stuck in his ways to learn to keep his hands up. It was this fault which got him knocked out by Manhoef and stunned by Gegard Mousasi, who is not known as a hard puncher. Kongo, for his part, is an extremely interesting striker from a technical perspective. His kicks and Thai plumm (double handed neck clinch) are brutal, and were almost entirely responsible for his kickboxing success. While he has shown his Thai clinch during his UFC tenure, and that he can do significant damage from the guard against. What is particularly fascinating is the enormous credit given to Kongo as a boxer; based purely on his kickboxing titles, UFC fans credit him with having skill in his hands which he simply does not possess. Kongo often carries his chins high and pushes his punches out without being in good position to defend counter shots. The punches Barry dropped him with were simple looping counters that should not land on a "world class" kickboxer with the reach and height advantages which Kongo carried into that fight. Watch this fight from Kongo's mysterious kickboxing career and notice how he relies almost entirely on his savage kicks and clinch work - factors that have been largely absent from his UFC career as he is so weak off of his back that he cannot risk attempting them except against weaker opposition. Cheick Kongo vs Marcin Rozalski .mp4 (via chim55) Important to notice from this fight is firstly how Cheik Kongo's kickboxing record is apparently 12 - 12 with 0 KOs, certainly different from the 21 - 2 listed on Wikipedia, seemingly the only available evidence of his career. What is most obvious is how easily Kongo out maneuvers and manhandles his opponent however - how often do we see him use those low kicks in his MMA career? Almost never, and that is the sad downside of his have next to no guard game. Were his legs and hips as dexterous on the ground as they are on the feet, he could throw such biting strikes without concern. Most noticeable, however, is Kongo's only real attempt to box with his opponent, at 4:11 where he is wobbled while wading in with sloppy, stepping punches. His lack of head movement and unconvincing feints allowed his opponent to throw the lead hand shot onto Kongo's chin as he walked backwards - not a powerful punch and eerily reminiscent of the backward walking punches which Kongo used to great effect on the similarly head-movement averse, Cain Velasquez. Notice how Kongo's own lack of head movement leads him to eat a shot from Velasquez despite landing cleanly on his opponent. It is these kinds of 50/50 punching exchanges which Kongo occasionally wins big in, perpetuating the belief that because he has knockout power, he has good boxing. Pat Barry was caught similarly but due to diving in with reckless abandon was put out cold. Mark Hunt, however, has made a career of baiting opponents to trade with him. Hunt succeeded in giving as good as he got against bigger punching, technically elite, Ray Sefo and Jerome Le Banner - if he stuns Kongo as Barry or Mir did, Kongo has little hope of pulling out a flash knockout as he did against Barry, and lacks the power of Melvin Manhoef. The most important factor of this match is the wrestling. When two good strikers meet, they often wrestle in a tedious display of "octagon control" (simultaneously the dumbest and vaguest criteria in sports) for 15 minutes, and when two great grapplers meet they often choose to put on a light contact kickboxing exhibition. When Kongo failed to get the better of Mitrione on the feet, eating the few significant strikes of the match, he chose to lean against Mitrione on the fence to eek out the third round and pick up a decision, whether Hunt's counter-wrestling is of the level where he can muscle his way off of the fence will likely decide this fight if Kongo drops the first round. Jack Slack breaks down striking strategy and technique at his websitewww.fightsgoneby.com He can also be found on Twitter @JackSlackMMA

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MMAWeekly.com caught up with Cheick Kongo at Gold's Gym in Tokyo, Japan, where he talked about his UFC 144 opponent, Mark Hunt, and making the move from security guard to superhero.

Posted in: kongo, cheick kongo, tokyo japan, golds gym, security guard

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TOKYO - Cheick Kongo talks about his last performance against Matt Mitrione, the changes at Wolfslair, his upcoming UFC 144 fight against Mark Hunt, why he would want to fight Frank Mir if he won this weekend and much more.

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Heavyweight Cheick Kongo talks to HeavyMMA's Megan Olivi ahead of his UFC 144 fight in Japan against Mark Hunt.

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"I know (of) Cheick Kongo -- he's alright, he's not a bad fighter ... As a striker I'm better than him, of course. That's the way I look at it. That's (attempting takedowns) what he's gonna be doing. Once he realizes he can't dance around or play around with me he's going to be trying to take me down like the rest of them." Samoan striker Mark Hunt (via UFC.com), a PRIDE FC mainstay from back in the day, is expected to sling leather against formidable French force, Cheick Kongo, in a heavyweight scrap set for the promotion's return to the "Land of the Rising Sun" at UFC 144 this Saturday night (Feb. 25, 2012) from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. That's assuming the Parisian will stand and bang against the former K-1 champ, who's riding back-to-back wins after tapping to Sean McCorkle in his Octagon debut back in late 2010. While Kongo is hardly a jiu-jitsu expert, Hunt's been notoriously deficient when the fights goes south. Anyone expecting knockout of the night? Or three rounds of mug and slug?

Posted in: kongo, way i, heavyweight scrap, he, sling leather

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The only thing I really dig about the new Twilight movie was the fact that Tim Sylvia wasn't in it. Imagine junior high schoolers across America building shrines in their bedrooms for 'Team Sylvia.' That would probably be the ugliest shrine in human history. Not because Tim Sylvia is an ugly guy, not at all. It's just that junior high school chicks don't really know how to build a shrine. The world is not an arts and craft show. You don't have to decorate every letter you write with a flower from your purple gel-ink pen with the stupid furry thing on top. There's no need to bring cut-up magazines and manila paper into this. A Tim Sylvia shrine is a glass of Samuel Adams. Earlier today on Twitter, Tim Sylvia and the UFC's Cheick Kongo got in a minor altercation. If you're expecting K-1 level beef, then you will be blatantly disappointed. Also, it's impossible to not read Cheick Kongo's tweet in Cheick Kongo's French accent. Go ahead, try. Props to NickBenton93 for the tip.

Posted in: cheick, kongo, tim, sylvia, shrine

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Heavyweight sluggers will light off the main card of Friday night's UFC on FX show, as Pat Barry meets Christian Morecraft in the show's opener. Pat "HD" Barry (6-4) has the right mixture of talent, humility and a creepy sense of humor. He's lost three of his last four, but you don't hear too many people talking about a possible cut if he drops another. In a fairly shallow division, especially until some of the Strikeforce heavies meander over, Barry is the type of fighter fans never mind watching. He's a raw kickboxer with quick and powerful hands and feet, and a pretty likable and good natured guy overall. The San Shou titlist was on the wrong end of 2011's best example of the "anything can happen" and "oh, sh*t!" factors that keep us helplessly addicted to MMA. After thwacking Cheick Kongo with a punch in the UFC Live 6 main event last June, Barry moved in for the kill and seemed on the verge of closing out the floundering Frenchman. Alas, Mother MMA would hurl one of her most glorious curve-balls yet. Like a bad zombie flick, the corpse-like Kongo suddenly lurched back to life and stuffed a leather-coated meatball down Barry's throat for an unforgettable comeback knockout. The Minnesota-based striker debuted at UFC 92 with a hostile barrage of low kicks to stop Dan Evensen in the first, but yielded to a Tim Hague guillotine choke in his sophomore outing. That cycle would repeat again with a strike-stoppage of Antoni Hardonk and subsequent submission loss to Mirko Filipovic. Barry went on to out-point the hard-headed Joey Beltran by decision before he met Kongo and then was tapped with a triangle courtesy of Stefan Struve. Christian Morecraft (7-2) is a hulking 6'6", 260-pound ogre out of Team Bombsquad. He emerged in the UFC undefeated after six fights and was giving Struve the business in the first stanza, but the lanky Dutchman came out firing in the second and clipped him with a right cross. Morecraft showed promising grappling technique for a man of his size against Sean McCorkle, throwing up armbar and triangle attempts from his back and even rolling for a kneebar before ending things with a guillotine in the second. A member of the supporting cast on the Barry vs. Kongo card, Morecraft jousted with Matt Mitrione on the feet and was tagged with a combo for a TKO loss late in the second. That was the deepest water the big fella had been dragged into, as all nine of his contests have concluded short of the third (4 subs, 3 TKO wins; 2 TKO losses). Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC on FX Pat Barry's low kicks are some of the most rugged and damaging in the industry. He stopped three of his first four opponents by mangling their legs with his low roundhouse. He used to employ the tactic early and often but has been much more reserved with it lately, perhaps due to the increase in size and counter-punching ability of larger UFC heavyweights. Barry is also a boxing threat and has been slicing with his sharp hands for the bulk of his offense. A minor critique is that he rarely integrates kicks into his combinations and typically throws one at a time, or switches gears entirely and only relies on his hands. The size and length of Hardonk presented some range and distance challenges for Barry, whose broad and stubby frame (5'11, 240-pounds) isn't ideal for a striker amongst the giants. His blazing speed more than compensated for the deficit, as Barry started to dart in and out of the pocket while working his hands, eventually flooring his former training partner with a plunging right hand from southpaw. It's no secret that grappling with Pat Barry is a much friendlier environment than standing up with him. It's a clear Achilles heel and Morecraft is fully equipped to exploit it. I was extremely impressed with how smooth Morecraft was off his back against McCorkle. We just don't see very many upper-end heavyweights pursuing leg locks, and an even fewer amount among the newer generation. That made it even more refreshing to see a leviathan like Morecraft not only avoid a panic-fueled scramble to escape from his back, but attack aggressively from the historically unenviable position. Even though it looked deep, McCorkle slipped out but Morecraft was able to sit out and reverse to hammer ground-and-pound from the top. Standing, Morecraft has average boxing fundamentals, a giant bear-swipe of a right hand and even throws a a halfway decent low kick. Morecraft moves well on the feet considering his substantial girth, relative inexperience (he's amidst his third year as a pro) and burgeoning fight skills (age 24). That being said, his deficit against Barry in the agility department will be immense. In fact, speed and striking were salient factors in both of his career defeats and Barry is the quickest heavy in the UFC hands down. While "HD" has ramped back on leg kicks and dialed in his punches to better suit past match ups, he might want to consider going back to his roots. Morecraft won't have the same level of footwork or timeliness with counter-punching compared to foes like Hardonk, "CroCop", Beltran, Kongo and Struve. What Morecraft will bring is the mentality of a stalker, enormous power in his right hand and the pressure of capitalizing on Barry's lagging ground game. I'm in full agreement with the betting lines that average Barry by a narrow margin. His pace and polished technique should allow him to out-finesse Morecraft with a dedicated sprawl and brawl routine, but it's one of those cases where the slightest mistake will cost him dearly. Like Kongo, Barry stunned Hague and was punished for pouncing with too much vigor, and the same hazards apply here. My Prediction: Pat Barry by TKO. Barry vs. Evensen gif via MMA-Core.com Barry vs. Hardonk gif via smoogy All others via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Pat Barry vs. Christian Morecraft Pat Barry Christian Morecraft   14 votes | Results

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The time has come to decide 2011's Knockout Of The Year. This year offered no shortage of spectacular KO's but we here have whittled the long list down to 6 finalists for the winner to be selected from by the Head Kick Legend community. The nominees are...... Anderson Silva's front kick on Vitor Belfort - The kick that started a craze in MMA. After Anderson landed it, everyone was trying it. Machida, Justin Buchholz and even Dong Hyun Kim have utitlized it since "The Spider" crumbled Vitor at UFC 126. It was not only stunning and incredible, it was downright shocking. I remember seeing it live and I didn't even know what to do. I just started laughing in sheer disbelief. Alexis Vila's one punch starching of Joe Warren - Warren came into the cage at Bellator 51 looking to get one step closer to his goal of becoming a two division champion. He's lucky he managed to leave the cage even as I write this. Vila came out and pressured Warren, rocked him, and after a brief recovery put him to sleep with a crushing left hook. Warren was out instantly and Vila put himself on the map in the United States all in a minute and four seconds. Cheick Kongo's unconscious zombie KO of Pat Barry - Pat Barry not only dropped Cheick Kongo twice in this fight, he knocked him out twice. Two times he dropped Kongo and followed up with strikes. These strikes just seemed to wake up the awesomely bearded Frenchman and both times he got back to his feet. What happened next was unbelievable. Kongo staggered back towards the cage, Barry walked him down and walked right into 2 massive punches that landed right on the button and sent Pat crashing to the canvas out cold. This was the most improbable comeback I have ever seen. This showed incredible heart and toughness shown by Kongo in what will probably be the defining moment of his career at UFC Live 4. Lyoto Machida's crane kick on Randy Couture - Randy had thought his epic submission win over James Toney was going to be the final fight of his career. That was until he got the offer to fight Machida. Randy called him "the Rubik's cube of MMA" and he was looking forward to trying to solve the puzzle. He would not be able to as the most prolific karate fighter ever in the UFC went full Karate Kid on Randy with a devastating crane kick. The kick dropped Randy into a heap and even knocked out a tooth. All I keep thinking about is that Lyoto, a man who is in perpetual motion inside the cage, completely stopped moving before unleashing the crane kick. I have never seen him still during a fight and it was almost as if he paused to allow 55,000 people in Toronto get ready for what he was going to do. Minotauro Nogueira's retirement defying knockout of Brendan Schaub - "The Hybrid" was fresh off his cartoonish knockout of Mirko Filipovic when he arrived in Rio to attempt to take out his second PRIDE legend in a row. Big Nog hadn't fought in 18 months and had been brutally knocked out in 2 of his last 3 fights. Somewhat surprisingly, Rodrigo came in looking sharp and landed crisp combinations on Schaub, putting him down and out much to the delight of the sold out crowd in Brazil, sports bars across the world and certainly my living room. Nog earned Knockout Of The Night for his utter destruction of the much younger Schaub. Even if it was only for one more time, Minotauro reigned supreme and he did so with style. Johny Hendricks' stunning 12 second knockout of Jon Fitch - "Big Rig" snuck this one in here at the last possible moment as he skyrocketed himself to the top tier of the Welterweight division. Mike Goldberg barely got done telling us what color shorts each fighter was wearing when Johny put his left hand to Fitch's chin, making him do a Nate Quarry-esque tree log straight to the canvas. Steve "Hot Tub" Mazzagatti saved Fitch from further damage only to get put on his back and momentarily wrestled by him. It only took one fifth of a minute for the consensus #2 WW in the world to see his quest for the belt end. That same 12 seconds also brought a new contender with dynamite in his hands to prominence. Who will be the winner? Vote now or forever hold your peace. Poll The Winner of 2011 Knockout Of The Year is....... Anderson Silva Alexis Vila Cheick Kongo Lyoto Machida Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera Johny Hendricks   0 votes | Results

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There really is nothing like a good knockout. Oh sure, we’re always happy to see wars of attrition and gnarly submissions, but nothing beats a good old-fashioned separation of man and consciousness. Thankfully, this past year has been very good to us in this regard, producing several of the most memorable shellackings in combat sport's history. But which one was the best of 2011 in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and mixed martial arts (MMA) overall? Follow me after the jump for some of this year's top candidates and to cast your vote for 2011's "Knockout of the Year:" Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort, UFC 126 Photo via Heavy.com After months and months of waiting, the MMA world finally got its wish: a match up between the two best strikers in the middleweight division. Many questioned how the apparently-invincible Anderson Silva would handle someone with comparable striking prowess, and former champion Vitor Belfort seemed the perfect candidate to answer that question. Unfortunately for Belfort and his supporters, Anderson passed the test with flying colors, blasting his foe with a heretofore-unseen front kick directly to the jaw and shunting him back into the morass of middleweight contenders. Patricky Freire vs. Toby Imada, Bellator 39 After his brother’s rampage through the featherweight division, there were high hopes for the elder "Pitbull" brother as he made his way into the Bellator lightweight tournament. He took his first major step toward fulfilling those hopes in the first round, knocking out former WEC champion Rob McCullough with nasty punches, but it was his sophomore effort against two-time finalist Toby Imada that really put him on the map. After a short feeling-out process, Patricky Freire absolutely leveled Imada with a flying knee and, as the wobbly Judo specialist attempted to flee, put him violently to sleep with a left hook, establishing his place in the venerable pantheon of Bad Brazilians. John Makdessi vs. Kyle Watson, UFC 129 Photo via picdizzle.com There was a lot of hype surrounding Canadian striker John Makdessi. In his UFC debut against Pat Audinwood, he demonstrated one of the most varied and entertaining kicking games we’ve seen thus far in the Octagon. Against "The Ultimate Fighter" veteran Kyle Watson, he seemed on his way to taking a unanimous decision, but his passiveness despite a massive striking advantage tinged the bout with disappointment. Seemingly sensing this displeasure, Makdessi faked a low kick in the third round and unleashed a gargantuan spinning backfist, leaving Watson out cold on impact and further cementing UFC 129 as one of the craziest events in UFC history. Lyoto Machida vs. Randy Couture, UFC 129 Photo via www.cagedinsider.com Randy Couture, after putting James Toney to sleep in a laughable mismatch at UFC 118, stated his intention to end his career with a bang against beleaguered former champion Lyoto Machida, who was attempting to bounce back from consecutive losses to Mauricio Rua and Quinton Jackson. In the early going, the aging Couture seemed unable to impose his will, getting picked apart at range and stymied in his attempts to work from the clinch. Things went from bad to horrific in the second round, however, as a jumping front kick straight out of "The Karate Kid" sent Couture’s consciousness (not to mention a tooth) careening into the audience, producing the event’s second KOTY candidate. Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry, UFC Live: Kongo vs. Barry Photo via UFC.com I distinctly remember yelling "He’s out!" at least three times while watching this fight, referring to Kongo each time. To this day, I still have absolutely no idea how he survived and even less of an idea how he managed to muster up the presence of mind necessary to knockout Pat Barry. This was an absolutely absurd knockout, and Cheick Kongo finally got something to be remembered for that doesn’t involve the gratuitous destruction of genitals. Arthur Guseinov vs. Tyson Jeffries, M-1 Challenge XXVI: Bennett vs. Garner II M-1 catches a lot of flak for its management policies, but you can’t deny that they know how to put on a show. Team Quest fighter Tyson Jeffries, after getting brutalized by Magomed Sultanakhmedov, seemed on his way toward redeeming himself, taking down and controlling Guseinov in the early going. This success wound up lasting just over a minute before, returning to his feet, Guseinov uncorked a lethal spinning backfist, leaving Jeffries unconscious well before he hit the ground and damn near giving announcer Mauro Ranallo an aneurysm. Marius Zaromskis vs. Bruno Carvalho, Rumble of the Kings Things weren’t looking good for Marius Zaromskis, a notoriously-undersized welterweight taking on a man who, by his own admission, weighed 190 pounds on fight night. Indeed, the size difference was astounding -- it looked like the fighters were two weight classes apart. The "Whitemare," however, laughs at your pitiful "logic," and fired off a Harold Howard-esque somersault kick, catching Carvalho in the side of the head before finishing him off with punches. While Carvalho is protesting the knockout, claiming that Zaromskis greased (and that the kick was illegal and that the stoppage was early), it’s fairly obvious that it’s just sour grapes. It’s not every day you get knocked out by a natural lightweight with a move long-associated with a coked-up Karate fighter. Cairo Rocha vs. Francisco Neves, Brazilian Fighting Championships: "Desafio dos Imortais" Yeah, nothing I say here could do this knockout justice. Watch the video. Trust me, it’s worth it. That about does it. If your favorite knockout wasn’t on the list, make sure to let us know in the comments section. Also, be sure to pop in tomorrow when we look to determine "Submission of the Year." To see our 2011 "Fight of the Year" nominees and cast another vote click here. Poll What was the 2011 Knockout of the Year? Silva vs. Belfort Freire vs. Imada Makdessi vs. Watson Machida vs. Couture Kongo vs. Barry Guseinov vs. Jeffries Zaromskis vs. Carvalho Rocha vs. Cairo Other   1 votes | Results

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Two international mixed martial arts (MMA) veterans with kickboxing backgrounds are set to go toe-to-toe at UFC 144 on Feb. 25, 2012, from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Super Samoan Mark Hunt, a Pride FC mainstay from back in the day, will be tasked with trading leather with formidable French force, Cheick Kongo, in a heavyweight scrap set for the promotion's return to the "Land of the Rising Sun" early next year. After surviving a six-fight losing skid, Hunt has momentarily turned things around and recorded back-to-back wins for the first time since 2004. He laid out Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 and then battered Ben Rothwell at UFC 135 to earn a unanimous decision. The New Zealander -- who made a name for himself with wins over Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Filipovic while they were in the prime of their illustrious careers -- has one loss inside the Octagon since coming aboard in Sept. 2010, tapping to a Sean McCorkle armbar at UFC 119. Submissions have clearly been Hunt's Achilles heel throughout his MMA career, but the good news is Kongo is no Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. On the contrary, similar to Hunt, Kongo is a striker first. In fact, he, too, cut his teeth in kickboxing prior to making the transition to MMA. And while he is no K-1 World Grand Prix champion like Hunt (2001), he certainly has the skills and power to do some heavy damage. Paul Buentello and Pat Barry know all about that, getting finished by Kongo in recent bouts because of strikes. So much so that Kongo's most recent opponent, Matt Mitrione, appeared to want no part of the Parisian's power, implementing a rather "safe" gameplan at UFC 137 that ultimately played right into the hands of Kongo in the form of a unanimous decision. There should be no real secrets or surprise strategies heading into this heavyweight duel. Sure, Kongo might shoot for a takedown or two, but both these men prefer to stand and bang. And that's what they'll likely do for 15 minutes or until someone falls over first. UFC 144 will be headlined by a 155-pound title fight featuring Ben Henderson, fresh off his unanimous decision win over Clay Guida, taking on reigning lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. In addition, Jake Shields returns to action against Yoshihiro Akiyama, while Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon collide in what promises to be an exciting lightweight attraction. For the latest UFC 144 news and notes be sure to check out our complete archive right here.

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Rising heavyweight Cheick Kongo and PRIDE veteran Mark Hunt have agreed to square off at UFC 144 in Japan on February 26, but the matchup has not yet been officially signed, MMA Weekly reports. Kongo (17-6-2) topped previously unbeaten Matt Mitrione at UFC 137 in October to improve to 3-0-1 in his last four fights, while Hunt (7-7) snapped a six-fight losing streak with back-to-back UFC wins over Chris Tuchscherer and Ben Rothwell. UFC 144, which airs as a regular UFC pay-per-view on Feb. 25 due to the time difference, is headlined by UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson and also includes Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis,  Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch, and Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields. For complete coverage of UFC 144, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

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More fight news coming in for the UFC's return to Japan at UFC 144 next February, and once again, it involves a name very familiar to Japanese MMA fans. MMAWeekly is reporting that it will be Pride and K-1 veteran Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo in Japan. A heavyweight bout between Chieck Kongo and Mark Hunt has been verbally agreed to for UFC 144 in Japan, although independent sources told MMAWeekly.com that no contracts have been signed as of yet. Great fight here that will be a homecoming of sorts for the Samoan. Mark Hunt's greatest career successes have all come in Japan, first as a kickboxer in K-1 where he won the 2001 World Grand Prix, then in Pride where he went 5-3 including wins over Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop. He's been very popular with Japanese fans in the past, and will hopefully get a big reception when he returns. Hunt is on a shocking career renaissance at the moment. After losing 6 straight fights, all in the first round, Hunt scored a big KO win over Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127. He followed that up with a win over Ben Rothwell, and now finds himself in the unlikely position of a two fight UFC win streak and a fight against one of the UFC's longtime veterans. Kongo is also on the best run of his UFC career, undefeated in his last 4 and coming in off big wins over Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione. This will be Kongo's first fight in Japan. Really interesting match-up here and I will be intrigued to see how it plays out. Kongo has a tendency to try and outgrapple fellow kickboxers when they square off, and that will probably be his strategy against Hunt. If he presses Hunt against the cage, and can control him on the ground, Hunt's cardio could come into play and allow Kongo to simply outwork him over 15 grueling minutes. But if Hunt can avoid the ground and the clinch, and if he can force Kongo into a kickboxing fight, then Hunt is the superior striker, with the stronger chin, and the heavier hands. A Mark Hunt KO is absolutely a possibility here. In which case the 37 year old Mark Hunt will suddenly find himself inside the top 10 of the UFC Heavyweight division.  Mark Hunt (7-7)W - Ben Rothwell, UD, UFC 135W - Chris Tuchscherer, KO Rd. 2, UFC 127L - Sean McCorkle, Sub Rd. 1, UFC 119 Cheick Kongo (17-6-2)W - Matt Mitrione, UD, UFC 137W - Pat Barry, KO Rd. 1, UFC Live on Versus 4D - Travis Browne, Unanimous Draw, UFC 120 The latest rumored card for UFC 144 is: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson (UFC lightweight championship)Anthony Pettis vs. Joe LauzonYushin Okami vs. Tim BoetschYoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake ShieldsMark Hunt vs. Cheick KongoHatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski More SBN coverage of UFC 144

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Cheick Kongo and Mark Hunt are set to meet in February.The fight is set for the UFC event taking place in Tokyo, Japan on the sixth of that month. Verbal...

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submitted by angrysamoanstl [link] [2 comments]

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A heavyweight bout between Chieck Kongo and Mark Hunt has been verbally agreed to for UFC 144 in Japan.

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: mark hunt, kongo, cheick kongo, february, roy nelson

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It appears that UFC 143 has added another stellar fight. While UFC officials haven't commented on it yet, Roy Nelson sent out a tweet late last night that all but confirms his next opponent: Cheick Kongo. Here's the tweet: @roynelsonmmaRoy Nelson MMA Heat News @roynelsonmma & @iamcheickkongo have verbally agreed 2 fight on the card expected 2 take place at the Mandalay Bay @ufcNov 17 via webFavoriteRetweetReply   It's a little odd, since MMA Heat themselves didn't tweet anything about it and it's not on their page. Perhaps it's in one of their videos I haven't seen yet. Either way, if Nelson is passing along the news himself, it's more than likely legit. Nelson is coming off a third-round TKO of Mirko Filipovic at UFC 136, while Kongo has won two in a row, the most recent being a decision win over Matt Mitrione in the co-main event of UFC 137. UFC 143 is set to take place on February 4th in Las Vegas, and features a main event UFC welterweight title fight between champion Georges St. Pierre and Nick Diaz. More SBN coverage of UFC 143

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Cain Velasquez and Cheick Kongo could be talking themselves into a rematch in the near future.After his UFC 137 win over Matt Mitrione, Kongo was asked...

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At this weekend's UFC on Fox 1 show, UFC Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez faces Junior dos Santos. In this series, we look back at the complete career of the champion, and see what we can learn about Saturday's showdown.  Yesterday, part 1 took us through the first five fights of Velasquez's career. We left him undefeated at 5-0, and on the verge of becoming a serious force in the UFC Heavyweight division. No one had yet been able to threaten Velasquez, and it was time for him to start fighting the big boys. Here in part 2, we look at his journey into the upper echelon of the division and his path to the Heavyweight title. Check back later this week for the conclusion. Fight #6: Cain Velasquez vs. Cheick KongoJune 13, 2009, UFC 99 Just as Matt Mitrione at UFC 137, the path to the top for Cain Velasquez led him into Cheick Kongo. Kongo was just settling into his role as gatekeeper, and coming in on a 3 fight win streak. This was Cain's first semi-main event, his first fight on a PPV main card, and the fight that would show the world how dominate he could be. And then, just seconds into the fight, something surprising... In the first real exchange of the fight, Kongo landed a punch that dropped Velasquez, following it up with a second shot that again wobbled him. And for the first time ever, Cain Velasquez was in trouble. But Kongo's glory was short-lived, as Cain immediately secured a double leg, took Kongo down, and pounded on him for the rest of the round. An abnormality then, right? Nope. In round 2, it happened again. Cain came in throwing punches, Kongo countered and dropped him, Cain responded with a takedown and controlled the rest of the round. One more time in round 3, and the end result was a Cain Velasquez unanimous decision win, but one that was not without some questions. Perhaps it was the unreasonably high expectations on the 5-0 fighter, but the general consensus after this fight was that Kongo has exposed Velasquez. Two holes in his game were pointed out. First, his striking defense. Kongo connected on the feet on more than one occasion, and had Cain hurt. This success came off of counter punching when Cain pushed the action forward. Kongo, a good technical striker, used his accuracy and reach to get inside Cain's punches and land on the chin - a bad sign in the eyes of many. Second, his inability to finish. For the first time, Velasquez failed to put his opponent away. Despite landing a tremendous amount of ground and pound, Cain never really hurt Kongo. On commentary, Joe Rogan points this out repeatedly, contrasting Cain's "ineffective" ground and pound with the far more damaging strikes of fellow Heavyweight Shane Carwin. This idea was picked up to the point that Cain, dominate win and all, began to be known as "pillow hands" in some corners, and his chances of becoming a champion were called into question. Keep reading in the complete entry. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos Fight #7: Cain Velasquez vs. Ben RothwellOctober 24, 2009, UFC 104 Despite some concerns about his performance, Cain continued his move up the ranks, once again semi-main eventing. This time, he welcomed former IFL champion Ben Rothwell to the UFC. It was not a pretty night for Rothwell. Velasquez unleashed the fight that had, by this point, become somewhat expected of him. He used his cardio to push the pace on the bigger Rothwell, took him down repeatedly, and pounded him until the referee stoppage in round 2. One of the most impressive sites in this fight is the smaller Velasquez slamming Rothwell repeatedly to the mat. In the era of super-sized Heavyweights like Shane Carwin and Brock Lesnar, some viewed Velasquez's relatively smaller size as a potential weakness, but here, he uses his strength and wrestling to completely nullify Rothwell's size advantage. One other nice aspect of his takedowns here is the way Cain is now mixing them in with his strikes, seemlessly flowing from strike to takedown. Unfortunately for Velasquez, as with the Kongo fight, this one ended with a bit of a question mark. Cain was in total control throughout, landing numerous shots on Rothwell, but at the exact moment referee Steve Mazzagatti stopped the fight, Rothwell was wall walking in an attempt to break free of Cain's ground control. The end result was never in doubt, but none the less, this was the second straight fight that Velasquez did not end convincingly. Fight #8: Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo NogueiraFebruary 21, 2010, UFC 110 And with 7 straight wins behind him, Cain Velasquez now makes it to the main event. His bout against Minotauro headlined this Australian card with a classic "young gun" vs. "old guard" style match-up. Whether it was the awareness of his new main event status, the grumbling from critics after his last two fights, or simply the final maturing of a still young fighter, the Cain Velasquez that stepped into the Octagon at UFC 110 was, simply put, the best Cain Velasquez fans had yet seen. Velasquez again focused on his stand-up, demonstrating a remarkably complete stand-up game that looked to close the holes found by Kongo. Cain shows superb technique here, keeping all his punches crisp, tight, and inside - minimizing the wider punches that gave Kongo those openings. He also shows perfect work on his feet, using fast and smooth footwork to get into position and land a number of kicks. In particular, Cain repeatedly uses a switch kick here that is absolutely phenomenal. The switch kick requires a fighter to quickly switch stances, then throw a fast kick. It's tough to pull off without telegraphing the strike, and is a rare kick to seen thrown so well - especially in the Heavyweight ranks. But Cain uses it flawlessly here. He brings all of this together into a number of nice combinations that incorporate both hands and feet into the same combo.  The end result? At 2:20 in round 1, Velasquez lands an uppercut that sends the notoriously heavy chinned Noguiera crumpling to the mat. The legend is down and out, the young lion victorious. With this win, Cain not only silences the "pillow hands" critics, he also moves himself into position as the new #1 contender for the Heavyweight crown. The only thing left in his way? Brock Lesnar.  Check back tomorrow for the final installment.

Posted in: ufc, fight, heavyweight, kongo, velasquez

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It would be different this time around. Way different. Or so says Travis Browne, who is chomping at the bit for a rematch with Cheick Kongo after watching the French heavyweight fight Matt Mitrione a week ago at UFC 137. "I wasn't impressed," Browne told MMAjunkie.com. "I wasn't impressed at all."

Posted in: kongo, cheick kongo, browne, travis browne, wasnt

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Nick Diaz ($200,000), B.J. Penn ($150,000), Cheick Kongo ($140,000) and Brandon Vera ($120,000) were the top...

Posted in: diaz, kongo, penn, mmajunkiecom, brandon

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The Nevada State Athletic Commission on Monday released the UFC 137 fighter salaries with Nick Diaz, B.J. Penn, and Cheick Kongo topping the list.

Posted in: fighter, kongo, cheick kongo, nevada state, salary

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Nick Diaz ($200,000), B.J. Penn ($150,000), Cheick Kongo ($140,000) and Brandon Vera ($120,000) were the top earners at this past weekend's UFC 137 event. Overall, the 22 fighters who competed on the card earned purses totaling $1,026,000. MMAjunkie.com today requested and received the list of disclosed paydays from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, kongo, penn, nevada state

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-For B.J Penn his loss to Nick Diaz was his first to a fighter who has never held a UFC title. All seven of Penn's previous career losses came at the hands of a UFC champion. -Penn is 1-3-1 in his last five fights-As a welterweight in the UFC Penn is 2-4-1 in the Octagon. In the UFC both of Penn's welterweight wins have come versus Matt Hughes-Penn is 3-6-2 during his career in fights that went to a decision-Diaz has not lost a fight since a November 2007 stoppage to K.J Noons -The win over Penn was his second over a former UFC champion-Diaz was the main event of UFC 137. He last competed for the UFC at UFC 65 in November 2006 and defeated Gleison Tibau on the untelevised undercard-Diaz is on an 11 fight winning streak -Per Compustrike Diaz out struck Penn 239 to 76 in total strikes landed-Fight Metric scored the fight 29-28 in favor of Diaz with a 748 to 434 edge in effectiveness score over Penn-Per Fight Metric Nick Diaz now holds the record for most significant strikes landed in a UFC fight with 178 versus BJ Penn-After a two fight losing streak Cheick Kongo is now 3-0-1 in his last four fights -Kongo is now 10-4-1 in his UFC career which began in July 2006 at UFC 61-The decision win for Kongo was his first fight to go the distance since a June 2009 loss to Cain Velasquez -All six of Matt Mitrione's career fights have come inside the UFC-The loss to Kongo was Mitrione's second appearance on a UFC pay per view main card -Mitrione last fought to a decision at UFC 119 versus Joey Beltran -Per Compustrike Kongo hit on 48/156 of his strikes (31%) while Mitrione landed 25/57 total strikes (44%)-Betting favorites at UFC 137 went 6-5 on the night. Bart Palaszewski's first round knockout of Tyson Griffin at +225 was the biggest upset of the night.-With UFC 137 the promotion returned to Las Vegas, Nevada's Mandalay Bay Events Center for the first time since UFC 126 in Febuary 2011. UFC 126 was headlined by Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort. Below is a gate and attendance comparison. UFC 126Attendance: 10, 893Gate: $3.6 million UFC 137Attendance: 10,313Gate: $3.9 million

Posted in: ufc, fight, kongo, penn, strike

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One of the fights at UFC 137 I was most looking forward to was Matt Mitrione vs. Cheick Kongo, more to gauge the evolution of the former than the latter. Unfortunately for all involved, we were treated to 15 minutes of sluggish action mainly controlled by Kongo and punctuated by a dominant third round on the mat. For a co-main event, neither man did much to justify their high placement on the card.In his first career loss, Mitrione (5-1) looked extremely tentative and displayed none of the swagger he had against Christian Morecraft months earlier. Kongo's style seemed to mentally take him out of his game plan as he was complaining to his corner before the third round about Kongo running away from him.The question now is whether Mitrione can rebounds and against who. Is he simply the best of a crop of lower-tier heavyweights or was this defeat just the dose of adversity he needed to reach the next stage of his career? As one of the more charismatic fighters in the UFC and based on his five fights up to this point, I'd like to think he's earned another shot against a Kongo-level opponent. Perhaps the moment was simply too big or Kongo was the right guy on the right night to beat him.Doing a scan over the roster leads me to a few interesting pairings. Ben Rothwell and Rob Broughton are both coming off losses, but what about Mark Hunt? He's won two in a row, but that might make for a fun slugfest. Any of the three would make sense as all three have more experience than Mitrione but not enough to make it one-sided.If MMA is truly a young man's sport, the 33-year-old needs a big performance in his next fight. Depending on what happens with Strikeforce, the division might get a lot more crowded in a few more months, making it tougher to get where he wants to go.Kongo Unimpressive In VictoryUsually, the benefit of an undefeated fighter losing is that his opponent gains a bit of momentum and some rub from doing what no one else was able to do. Kongo frustratingly did neither in his win over Mitrione.Earlier in the week, I had heard a media member observe that Kongo was frustrating in that he has all the physical tools but his inconsistency negated them. That was again the case Saturday as Kongo won but did nothing to stand out in doing so. The 36-year-old has been in the UFC for over five years and now has the longest undefeated streak of his 15-fight Octagon career (3-0-1). But there's no groundswell of fans demanding that he enter the title picture because in two previous big opportunities, he lost to Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir. One of his wins was nearly a loss to someone that has only two victories in three years (Pat Barry), while another came over someone cut by the UFC (Paul Buentello).As far as who's next, Stefan Struve, Mike Russow or even Roy Nelson might make sense for the early part of 2012. The most important person in the UFC will be hoping that the end result will be a bit more fan-pleasing than this effort. Figuring Out "The Truth"I've never understood the push of Brandon Vera and to me, he has always been a frustrating fighter to watch. Maybe it's all the ho-hum decisions that are happening while listening to Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan explain how great he is, but I've never quite got the appeal.When he was cut following his loss to Thiago Silva earlier this year, I thought it was a positive move. We've seen tons of examples of fighters doing their best on smaller stages with new attitudes just to be considered for a return engagement in the UFC. When the loss was changed to a no-contest following Silva's suspension for using a tainted urine sample, Vera was granted a stay of execution and another shot to prove he belonged in the world's largest MMA organization. Then we got Saturday. Vera talked the talk in the weeks leading up, saying he was going to finish Eliot Marshall. That never came close to happening and Marshall nearly finished Vera himself in the third round. Vera did enough with cage grappling and control on the ground to earn the decision, showing some toughness in the final round by not tapping to a Marshall armbar and reportedly getting his arm broken in the process. But up to that point, I didn't get any sense of urgency from Vera. I didn't see a fighter who was looking to show the UFC they made a mistake in initially cutting him. Instead, I saw the same Vera I've seen the past few years: just getting by and not doing anything to stand out. When it comes to second chances, you have to make the most of them. Vera's got a great opportunity to build up his career again in the dim spotlight of UFC undercards, so that when his next loss comes, it won't be an easy decision to let him go. It's time for "The Truth" to step up. SBN coverage of UFC 137 Results: Penn vs. Diaz

Posted in: ufc, loss, kongo, mitrione, vera

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Cheick Kongo admits his fight with Matt Mitrione at the weekend left something to be desired.The first round was remarkable for the paucity of strikes...

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MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani caught up with Cesar Gracie, Georges St. Pierre (before the fight), Roy Nelson, Donald Cerrone, Tyson Griffin, Hatsu Hioki, Bart Palaszewski and Ramsey Nijem following UFC 137 to get their thoughts on the fights. MMA Heat’s Karyn Bryant spoke with Cheick Kongo.

Posted in: kongo, pierre, roy, ramsey nijem, cesar

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"Don't be surprised if Matt Mitrione charges Cheick Kongo right out of the gate." Those were some famous last words uttered by UFC commentator Joe Rogan at the start of the co-main event of UFC 137 last night (October 29, 2011) between two of the UFC's most powerful heavyweights. Instead, the fans were left disappointed after one of the most lackluster heavyweight attractions of the year as both men never got off with their strikes and Mitrione proved he still needed some seasoning before being up for the challenge of some of the top heavyweights. So why did this bout disappoint? And where to both fighters go from here? Both heavyweights were extremely tentative early in the bout. There was practically no offense from either man for the first four minutes. Mitrione finally began to open up a bit with 30 seconds left but both men left shaking their heads as the horn sounded and they were showered with boos from the rowdy crowd. Mitrione tried to pick up the pace in the second round, pressing the action and opening up with his punches more but Kongo's response was to repeatedly hop on his bicycle and back away from all of "Meathead's" offense. Kongo got off with some decent leg kicks, but Mitrione was visibly frustrated by Kongo's inability to engage with him when the round was over. The third round would be all Kongo. After finally opening up aggressively with his striking, he initiated a clinch and then proceeded to put a whoopin' on Mitrione. Instead of grabbing an underhook to prevent Kongo's offensive takedown abilities, Mitrione instead attacked with a head lock. This allowed Mitrione to drop down, grab a leg, lift it up nearly over his head and dump the former NFL football player on his back. Mitrione was never able to recover. He got to his feet momentarily during the round, but was immediately dumps on his back once more and Kongo opened up with some ground and pound to bust up "Meathead's" face and cut him pretty badly. Since Mitrione was unable to initiate any offense off of his back or get back to his feet for longer than 10 seconds, the third round was all Kongo. In the end, the fact that Kongo was able to dominate round three was the deciding factor in the bout as two of the judges had split the first two evenly matched rounds and Kongo was awarded a unanimous decision victory. For Matt Mitrione, he's got to be disappointed with the result. He was light on his feet throughout the fight, his striking defense was solid and instinctual, but he could never get any good offense going, primarily due to Kongo repeatedly backing away. He got flustered easily and that may have led to Kongo getting the big takedown in the third round. Mitrione is not done yet, however. He still has promise at heavyweight, although we should temper our expectations about him challenging for a title any time soon.  Expect to see Mitrione face someone like fellow recent losing prospect Brendan Schaub or perhaps someone like Ben Rothwell or Jon Olav Einemo if they want to take a step back on his development even more.  For Cheick Kongo, he got the job done, although he didn't exactly turn a bunch of heads with his victorious performance. There's not much else to say about his victory other than who he'll likely face next. Don't be surprised if you see him against someone like fellow main card winner Roy Nelson or perhaps recent UFC on Versus 6 winner Stefan Struve. Mike Russow could also be looking for an opponent after his fiasco with Dave Herman earlier in the month. So what did you think, Maniacs? Were you disappointed by the lackluster performance from both heavyweights? Despite the setback, what do you think of Mitrione's future? Sound off! For complete UFC 137 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire pay-per-view (PPV) event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here. All gifs by Zombie Prophet via IronForgesIron.com.

Posted in: ufc, round, heavyweight, kongo, mitrione

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LAS VEGAS - Slow and steady wins the race, though fighting ugly does little to win fans. Cheick Kongo knows Saturday's UFC 137 co-main-event win over Matt Mitrione wasn't a signature or highlight-reel win that dazzled fans, but it served its purpose. It got him one step closer to a rematch with champ Cain Velasquez, whom Kongo said was "lucky" in their first meeting.

Posted in: ufc, cheick, kongo, cheick kongo, rematch

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  The heavyweight tilt between Cheick Kongo and Matt Mitrione could best be described as underwhelming. Where many expected a slugfest with the fight not going to a decisions, fans were disappointed when neither fighter wished to commit. Mitrione is a product of the Ultimate Fighter and has been on an absolute tear since making his UFC debut. Kongo was considered a potential title challenger when he first entered the UFC, since then settling into the role of gatekeeper. It was believed that a win tonight would catapult Mitrione into the top 10 of the division.  The first round was perhaps one of the worst rounds in recent history. Neither fighter came forward and there was a lot of dancing. Mitrione was more active but wasn't able to land anything of significance. Kongo circled well and landed some leg kicks. It was reminiscent of Starns/Quarry.   Round two saw both fighters finally push the action a bit more but Kongo continued to circle away. Mitrione was unable to cut off the cage and didn't land much. He was the aggressor and pushed the fight. Kongo found success with his leg kicks.  The final round was when Cheick Kongo finally unloaded. Two big takedowns and some ground and pound turned this into a dominant and clear win for the Frenchman. He damaged Mitrione's face, opening up a cut underneath the left eye of the former Purdue Bowlermaker. Kongo continues his role as the UFC's heavyweight gatekeeper. He's able to defeat prospects but has difficulty with the established names of the division. For Matt Mitrione the fight should be seen as a learning experience. He took a big step up in competition and was shown that he still has massive holes in his MMA game.  SBN coverage of UFC 137 Results: Penn vs. Diaz

Posted in: ufc, fight, kongo, mitrione, matt mitrione

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Cheick Kongo put in a full night of work against Matt Mitrione at UFC 137. Read here to see how he got past the former NFL football player.

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Hulking heavyweight Cheick Kongo defeated Matt Mitrione in a less-than-stellar co-main event at UFC 137.

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UFC 137 - Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione

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The UFC 137 main card featured a pair of heavyweight showdowns before Saturday’s main event, as Cheick Kongo outpointed previously unbeaten Matt Mitrione and Roy Nelson sent Mirko Cro Cop into retirement with a third-round TKO. More UFC 137 results: UFC 137 Results: Jorgensen Beats Curran, Hioki Edges Roop on Main Card UFC 137 Results: Cerrone Submits Siver, Palaszewski KOs Griffin on Spike Prelims UFC 137 Results: Vera, Nijem Wins Top Facebook Prelims UFC 137 play-by-play and results for Kongo vs. Mitrione and Nelson vs. Cro Cop are below: MATT MITRIONE VS. CHEICK KONGO: Round 1 – Both fighters circle early with Mitrione bouncing more with his hands low. Mitrione fires a punch that Kongo parries, Kongo with a kick. Kongo fires a combo and Mitrione backs away. Mitrione attacks and swings wildly to no avail. Kongo clinches and pins Mitrione to the cage. Kongo with solid shots in the clinch. Mitrione working double overhooks now. Herb Dean splits them and we’re back in the center. Mitrione attacks wildly again but Kongo evades. Legkick from Kongo. Another legkick from Kongo that had some heat on it. Body kick from Kongo connects but Mitrione traps it and breifly takes Kongo down. Mitrione attempts another combo and Kongo easily evades again. Close round, but Kongo connected more and showed good clinch control. MMAFrenzy scores the round 10-9 Kongo. Round 2 – Kongo with a combo that is punctuated by a leg kick. Kongo fires another combo but Mitrione clips him. Kongo backs off and the fighter’s circle. Leg kick from Kongo. Combination from Kongo followed by some wild hooks. Mitrione evades. Mitrione fires a shot that misses and then shoves Kongo to the cage with a body shot but Kongo evades without too much damage. Kongo with another leg kick. Mitrione with a nice shot. Uppercut from Mitrione and Kongo tries to slip away. Front kick from Kongo connects to the body of Mitrione but Mitrione partially blocked it. Kongo fires a hook and looks to the body but Mitrione covers the body. Outside legkick from Kongo. Mitrione stalking forward and briefly connects as Kongo ducks away. Very tough round to score. MMAFrenzy scores the round 10-10. Round 3 – Mitrione with a nice combo against the cage but Kongo punches out. Kongo lands a nice punch, follows with a shot and sloppily slams Mitrione to the mat. Mitrione recovers breifly but then gives up his back. Kongo threw some nice shots with Mitrione on the ground there. Mitrione works back to his feet and Kongo blasts Mitrione’s thighs with knees. Kongo with a nice takedown into half-guard. Kongo throwing shots now. Mitrione appears to looking for a kimura but it’s leaving him wide open for an arm triangle. Hammerfist connects flush on Mitrione. Kongo then works a nice wrestling crossface to keep Mitrione spread out. Mitrione gives up his back and the rolls to no avail. Kongo landing some good shots and begins looking for a choke as the horn ends the fight. Most decisive round of a very close fight. MMAFrenzy scores the round and the fight for Kongo (30-28). Cheick Kongo def. Matt Mitrione via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-28, 29-28) MIRKO CRO COP VS. ROY NELSON: Round 1 – Nelson looks to the body early and fires a wild haymaker that misses badly. Cro Cop is timing Nelson but is telegraphing his straight left. Nelson lands a takedown but Cro Cop regains guard nicely. Nelson using the forearm to the neck in an attempt to gain control. Cro Cop traps an arm though. Nelson is loading up power shots rather than the shorts shots he needs to use. Cro Cop explodes up and we’re standing again. Cro Cop clips Nelson with a kick and punch. Nelson with nice right and Cro Cop responds with an uppercut. Nice upper cut from Cro Cop. Nice exchange as Cro Cop connects and slips Nelson’s response. Nelson is stalking forward though as Cro Cop evades and picks his shots. Great body kick from Cro Cop. Very close round. Very close round. MMAFrenzy scores it 10-10. Round 2 – Big right hand from Nelson but Cro Cop responds and explodes on Nelson. Cro Cop connects with several brutal uppercuts but somehow Nelson survives. Nelson’s face is destroyed. Cro Cop more aggressive early but settling down now. Nelson fires a horribly off-balanced overhand right and Cro Cop evades easily. Crisp head kick from Cro Cop but Nelson defends. We’re on the cage now as Nelson is working for a single. Nelson gets him down and gets to side control. Nelson is working the Salaverry position but Cro Cop is defending. Nelson has an arm-triangle open but attacks with short shots. Cro Cop is pinned in the Salaverry position as Nelson rains down short strikes. MMAFrenzy scores the round 10-9 Nelson (20-19) Round 3 – Nelson lands a straight right hand that backs Cro Cop up hard. Nelson with a shot and Cro Cop defends but eats a hard shot and slips down. Nelson immediately takes his back and blasts away with shots before the referee calls a stop to the fight. Roy Nelson def. Mirko Cro Cop via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 1:30 Check out all of the UFC 137 results and recaps by clicking here.

Posted in: kongo, mitrione, nelson, cop, cro

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In the advertised co-main event of the evening, Matt Mitrione went to war against Cheick Kongo at tonight's (Sat., Oct. 29, 2011) UFC 137: "Penn vs. Diaz" pay-per-view event in Las Vegas, Nevada. The former has been slowly but steadily rising up through the heavyweight division, undefeated in his young mixed martial arts career and getting better and better each time out. The latter is considered a gatekeeper to bigger and better things. He proved exactly why tonight by grinding his way past the rising star. Kongo may not be headed for a title shot any time soon, but he just made sure that Mitrione isn't either. That's because he earned the unanimous decision win after an ugly 15 minutes. This one started the way many Anderson Silva fights do. Two minutes into the first round a total of four punches had been thrown, not one of which connected. Finally, Mitrione came in strong leading to, you guessed, a clinch that was only broken up by the referee, who nearly tripped over the monotony on his way in. Both fighters smiled at each other throughout the round, clearly enjoying the game of cat-and-mouse, feinting back and forth. The fans were unhappy, though. The second round saw a lot more action, both fighters finally electing to let their hands go a bit. Still, it was stop and start, stop and start, for five minutes and the fans were restless. No one can blame them. Kongo executed a takedown in the third and final frame, working some ground and pound that resulted in a nasty cut above Mitrione's left eye. Another takedown from the Frenchman was enough to win him the round and ultimately, the fight. It wasn't pretty but it worked. To check out MMAmania.com's LIVE UFC 137 results post, which includes up-to-the-minute, blow-by-blow coverage of EVERY fight click here.

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Alright, so it wasn't the most exciting heavyweight fight that we've witnessed. The first round consisted of Kongo and Mitrione circling each other until the entire crowd at the Mandalay Bay starting making loud vocal noises that most humans call a 'boo.' Eventually Kongo went for a few jabs and the fight finally began. Well, sort of. The second round began much like the first except both fighters were a tad bit more vicious in their striking. The third round started, and within a minute Cheick Kongo took Meathead down to the ground, something that I expected he would do right from the start. If Kimbo Slice had the ability to take Mitrione to the ground, then it seemed rather obvious Kongo would go for it. In the end, Cheick Kongo grabbed a unanimous decision over Matt Mitrione and just became the only person in the UFC to hand Meathead a loss on his 5-1 record.

Posted in: cheick, kongo, mitrione, matt mitrione, meathead

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Filed under: UFCIn a heavyweight fight that didn't quite deliver the fireworks fans were hoping for, Cheick Kongo beat Matt Mitrione by decision at UFC 137. Mitrione, a former NFL defensive tackle, and Kongo, a muscular striker, had a fight that was billed as a heavyweight slugfest but turned out to be more of a snoozefest, as both men came out looking tentative and hesitant. But Kongo got the better of the stand-up exchanges and battered Mitrione on the ground in the third round, and that was enough to earn the decision, 30-27, 30-28 and 29-28 on the judges' scorecards for Kongo. The fans in Las Vegas booed as the fight came to an end. For Kongo, the win was his 10th inside the Octagon, and it showed that he's still among the better heavyweights in the sport. But it also showed why he's not among the truly elite: His ground game is still rudimentary, and he's often too slow to let his hands go. For Mitrione, the loss was his first since he was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter, and it showed that he, too, still has a long way to go. Mitrione is a talented athlete, but he's not a complete MMA fighter yet, and this was not a great fight. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: kongo, mitrione, matt mitrione, he, judges scorecards

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In a somewhat disappointing contest, Cheick Kongo defeated Matt Mitrione via a Unanimous Decision. First round between the two ended to the booes of the crowd at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, as none of the fighters managed to create any significant moments. The pace picked up, just a little bit in Round 2, with Matt Mitrione been the more aggressive fighter out of the two. Still, Mitrione was unable to inflict any significant damage as the fans continued to boo the

Posted in: decision, kongo, mitrione, matt, matt mitrione

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LAS VEGAS, October 29 – Matt Mitrione had made quite the impression in just five professional fights, all in the UFC, but the Ultimate Fighter alum’s step up fight against veteran contender Cheick Kongo proved to be too much of a leap at the moment, as Kongo scored a three round unanimous decision win over Mitrione in the UFC 137 co-main event Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.The judges saw it 30-27, 30-28, and 29-28 for Kongo, who improves to 27-6-2; Mitrione falls to 5-1.Mitrione tried to baffle Kongo with his unorthodox movement and some early fight chatter, but the Frenchman wouldn’t take the bait, instead choosing to wait for Mitrione to make the first move so he could counter. A couple sloppy exchanges eventually followed before the two locked up against the fence. After a stalemate, referee Herb Dean broke the two, and Kongo tried to lead with two rights, but he came up short. Mitrione proceeded to pressure Kongo, but he wasn’t throwing any punches, drawing the ire of the crowd. In the final 30 seconds, Kongo opened up a bit more, but there was no significant scoring.Apparently the fighters were sufficiently warmed up from the first round, as both began getting their offenses in gear in the second, Kongo landed with some hard leg kicks and threw in punches to the head and body as well. Mitrione started throwing more himself, but he wasn’t having the success his opponent was, even though he was the unquestioned aggressor.Mitrione came out fast to begin the final round, but Kongo responded with a furious attack of strikes capped off by a slam of the former NFL lineman. Mitrione calmly worked his way back to his feet, but Kongo kept him tied up against the fence, landing with knees to the leg the whole way. Kongo went on to score another takedown on Mitrione, who was unable to escape from under the ground attack of the veteran heavyweight.NELSON vs. CRO COPIt was the end of a heavyweight era, as former PRIDE superstar Mirko Cro Cop called an end to his storied career after getting stopped in the third round by Roy Nelson, who resurrected his own after back-to-back losses to Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir with an impressive effort from start to finish.After testing his standup with Cro Cop for the first minute of the fight, Nelson quickly shot in for the takedown and got it, freeing him up to work his ground strikes. Midway through the round, Cro Cop sprang to his feet and was able to land a left kick to the body and a left punch to the head, reddening Nelson’s face. Nelson fired back with a hard right hand, but after the two circled each other for a bit, Cro Cop delivered a hard uppercut that got the crown chanting his name. Nelson kept moving forward though, and his pressure appeared to bother Cro Cop.In the second, Nelson briefly rocked Cro Cop, but the Croatian returned the favor a second later. Cro Cop proceeded to empty his clip on “Big Country,” but the iron-chinned Las Vegas refused to go down. With a little over two minutes left, Cro Cop drew a roar as he threw his trademark left kick to the head, but Nelson avoided any danger as he moved in and then took Cro Cop to the mat. Moving into side control, Nelson smothered Cro Cop and locked his arms up in the crucifix position, opening him up to a barrage of punches and evening the score for the series of shots he took earlier in the round.A minute into the final round, Nelson’s right hand staggered Cro Cop, and seconds later, he got his exhausted opponent to the mat with a right-left-right. Nelson proceeded to take Cro Cop’s back and finish him with strikes, with referee Steve Mazzagatti calling a stop to the fight at the 1:30 mark.With the win, Nelson improves to 17-6; Cro Cop, one of the most feared strikers to ever compete in the sport, falls to 29-10-2 with 1 NC. He was never to match his success in Japan in the UFC, only managing a 4-6 record in the organization, but the standing ovation he received from the crowd following the bout was evidence of the impact he had on MMA.JORGENSEN vs. CURRANBantamweight contender Scott Jorgensen put in a full night’s work in his bout with returning vet Jeff Curran, winning a close unanimous decision over “The Big Frog” in a competitive three rounder.Scores were 29-28 twice and 30-27 for Jorgensen, who ups his record to 13-4; Curran falls to 35-14-1.Jorgensen ate a steady diet of jabs as the bout opened, forcing him to seek – and get – a takedown. Both fighters stayed busy on the ground, with Curran not content to stay idle on his back as Jorgensen worked his strikes. After a restart by referee Kim Winslow with less than 40 seconds left, Curran landed a couple hard punches before Jorgensen ended the frame with a second takedown.There were some solid standup exchanges to start the second round, but a missed Curran takedown attempt allowed Jorgensen to lock his foe up and land with a series of knees before scoring with his own takedown. A second takedown would follow later in the round, but a late surge by Curran reminded his foe that he was not done yet.The third round was a closely-contested battle, with both fighters giving and taking their best shots. The slightly busier Jorgensen looked to have the edge though, with his solid defense keeping Curran from scoring the takedown and landing his haymakers.HIOKI vs. ROOPJapanese featherweight star Hatsu Hioki made his long-awaited UFC debut in the opener, but he got more than a stiff challenge from George Roop before eking out an unpopular three round split decision win.Scores were 29-28 twice and 28-29 for Hioki, who improves to 25-4-2; Roop falls to 12-9-1.Roop’s busy striking attack kept Hioki from getting into any sort of offensive rhythm as the bout started, and the Arizonan continued to score until Hioki was able to pin his foe to the fence and eventually get him to the mat with a little over a minute left. But Hioki was still unable to capitalize, allowing Roop to get back to his feet before the bell.Hioki was more effective in closing the distance on his lanky foe in round two, and this time, he was able to gain a dominant side control position quickly before moving into the mount. And while Hioki pinned Roop to the canvas for much of the round, Roop got loose late and finished with a flourish, chasing Hioki around the Octagon until the bell.Roop got his own takedown in the third, smothering Hioki in the subsequent exchange on the mat. Hioki tried to work for submissions from the bottom, but Roop was resolute in his attack, and while he wasn’t spectacular, his workmanlike performance appeared to earn him the victory, but the judges disagreed.

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Uninterested in a physical confrontation, I'll begin by clarifying that I'm cool with Cheick Kongo placement of knees. The towering Team Wolfslair fighter meets the heavyweight division's biggest surprise in former NFL defensive tackle Matt Mitrione at UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz. I'll admit (and I'm not even placating him out of fear this time) that I enjoyed watching Kongo's airtight combinations before he unveiled his surprising natural instincts with wrestling against the battle-scarred Heath Herring. Let's face it -- the UFC's heavyweight cauldron is not necessarily boiling over with fresh and exciting prospects, and augmenting his already defined striking onslaught with an unpolished but admirable bent for scrambling was encouraging. Oddly enough, it was another of Kongo's losses that validated his status. Cain Velasquez, who would go on to cement himself as the alpha heavyweight, seriously struggled under the cascading waves of Kongo's relentless stand up more so than we've ever beheld. It's even more momentous in retrospect, but I dare say that our reigning heavyweight champ exuded an aura of desperation when the French kickboxer was putting it on him. Again dodging the mold of the one-trick pony, the evolving fighter applied his size and athleticism to unhinge savvy striker Paul Buentello with a grinding clinch game and takedown pressure. Despite a sole TKO loss to the heavy-handed Gilbert Yvel in 2004, Kongo's chin seemed adequately resilient until Frank Mir crumpled him with a massive overhand; a recurring trend in his latest outing versus Pat Barry before he resurrected himself from the dead with guns blazing, making for the most thrilling comeback win all year. When a host of former NFL players were announced for season ten of TUF, we all felt that flicker of hope that their exorbitant strength-to-agility ratio could be a high horsepower foundation upon which technique and experience could be later combined. "Meathead" is the only TUF 10 candidate left because he's done just that. In a true trial by fire, all five of Mitrione's pro fights have taken place in the Octagon and he's yet to falter while improving at an astounding rate. Alienated on the reality show, Mitrione was not given much of a chance. The brutality and speed of his straight left hand was an eye-opener for many, but his momentum fizzled shortly after when James McSweeney choked him out in a forgettable performance. With gradually ascending brightness, Mitrione unraveled fellow cast mates Marcus Jones and Kimbo Slice in commanding tramplings, then traveled farther up the ladder with ever-enhancing boxing prowess in invigorating wins over the hard-headed Joey Beltran (decision), Tim Hague and Christian Morecraft (both first round TKOs). Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 137 Results: Penn vs. Diaz Cheick Kongo (16-6-2) vs. Matt Mitrione (5-0) Intentions are obvious in this match: Mitrione's only chance is finding a pathway into close quarters and boring a meat-cleaver through his guard. Kongo, from his trustworthy, low-based stance, will look to pot-shot Mitrione on the way in with laser-straight, telephone-pole punches. The kicker is that height and reach, what would seem to be landslide advantages for Kongo (6'4", 82"), is mostly a wash due to Mitrione's gangly frame (6'3", 81"). Regardless of the minor one-inch differential, there's no question Mitrione's chances drastically increase the closer in proximity he is. So as not to reinvent the wheel, please reference our own Fraser Coffeen's analysis of the pros and cons of Matt Mitrione's striking. Fraser's astute findings are that Mitrione's animated movement and footwork along with his inside low kick and merciless straight left are his three best offerings; his weak spots are hanging his chin out and dropping his hands. I agree with the observations, so let's apply each one. Inside low kick: the weakness of his porous defense makes this an extremely risky option, especially against the scorching straight right of Kongo. It feels awkward to put a lot of snap on a low kick with your hands stuck to your chin, so the natural tendency is to drop your hands while you're torquing your hips over. A tell-tale sign of a technical striker is one who generate power in the kick without sacrificing his defense. I wouldn't avoid this entirely, but use it sparingly and with extreme caution. Since his movement and footwork will affect just about everything, that leaves Mitrone's absolutely devastating straight left hand as his paramount approach. In the first gif as well as the one to the left against Tim Hague, the punch is simply Mitrione's bread and butter. It's tight, straight, blindingly fast and drenched with solid power. His precarious hand position is noticeable again in the lead right hook that precedes the nice sprawl, so Kongo could fake a level-drop to set up his hands. Some unknown variables to consider are Mitrone's ability to take punishment -- something his motion has allowed him to evade -- and whether Kongo might reintroduce his combination of clinch tactics, takedowns and ground assault to keep Meathead out of his element. I'm a little curious how Kongo comes in a slight underdog on the betting lines, having twenty-four fights scattered over a decade of experience versus Mitrione's five fights in the span of two years. Personally, I'd flip that ratio the other way. Kongo has demonstrated more well rounded capabilities while facing a much higher volume of significantly superior competition. In light of that, I would give Mitrione an equal or better chance of winning an all-striking match, just because of his rapid acceleration, slight agility advantage and surging momentum. However, the one flaw that hasn't been mentioned is the docile manner in which he folded up against McSweeney. This is extremely subjective and characterized by a a pre-evolution Mitrione, but Kongo has persevered through many uncomfortable positions and situations with praise-worthy heart and determination. This gritty trait alone could be the deciding factor if he can drag Mitrione into deep waters. My emotionless, logical side leans toward Kongo. Nonetheless, while I have nothing against the big fella, Mitrione's aura is infectious right now and I'd like to see it keep thriving, so I'll pick him for what I think should be considered an upset. My Prediction: Matt Mitrione by TKO         Gifs 2 and 5 via MMA-Core.com All others via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione Cheick Kongo Matt Mitrione   0 votes | Results

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UFC 137 weigh-in resultsLas Vegas, NVNick Diaz () vs. B.J. Penn ()Cheick Kongo () vs. Matt Mitrione ()Mirko Filipovic () vs. Roy Nelson ()Hatsu Hioki () vs. George Roop ()Jeff Curran () vs. Scott Jorgensen ()Donald Cerrone () vs. Dennis Siver ()Tyson Griffin () vs. Bart Palaszewski ()Eliot Marshall () vs. Brandon Vera ()Danny Downes () vs. Ramsey Nijem ()Chris Camozzi () vs. Francis Carmont ()Dustin Jacoby () vs. Clifford Starks ()The UFC 137 weigh-ins will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas with the first fighter on the scale at 7:00 PM EST (4:00 PM PST). Nick Diaz (25-7) vs. B.J. Penn (16-7-2)Cheick Kongo (16-6-2) vs. Matt Mitrione (5-0) & Mirko Filipovic (27-9-2) vs. Roy Nelson (15-6)

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On Sat., Oct. 29, Cheick Kongo will look to derail the hype train of heavyweight up-and-comer and former NFL football player Matt Mitrione. "Meathead" will, once again, be looking to quiet his critics and prove that he's more than just a defensive tackle who is looking for his 15 seconds of fame. UFC 137 will be the event. The Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada will be the place where it all goes down. Mitrione has taken the mixed martial arts (MMA) world by storm, going 5-0 since his stint on the 10th season of the Ultimate Fighter (TUF) reality television show in 2009. Kongo looks to be Mitrione's biggest test thus far, and he should show fans and critics alike just how far he's actually come in the fight game. Enough banter. Let's get down to brass tacks!  An MMA fight involves a multitude of dimensions. It's not good enough anymore to be just a striker or just a submission specialist. You have to have it all. The math wizards at CompuStrike were kind enough to share some of their data with us, in regard to which of these two heavyweights is the more well-rounded fighter. Here we go. Total Strikes: Kongo - 50 of 84Mitrione - 34 of 57 Percentage: Kongo - 60%Mitrione - 60% Total Power Strikes Landed: Kongo - 25Mitrione - 22 Total Non-Power Strikes Landed: Kongo - 25Mitrione - 12 Nearly a dead heat. The data would appear to state that both are equally accurate, while Kongo is the busier of the two as far as volume of strikes thrown.  That gives us some insight into the total striking picture. Let's be more specific and see who is the more lethal of the two with their punches and elbows. Total Arm Strikes Landed:Kongo - 13 of 31Mitrione - 15 of 30Percentage of Arm Strikes Landed:Kongo - 42%Mitrione - 50%Power Strikes Landed:Kongo - 8Mitrione - 10Non-Power Strikes LandedKongo - 5Mitrione - 5 Again, this part of the race is too close to call. Mitrione looks to be more accurate with his arm strikes, but it isn't by much. Kongo's background is in kickboxing. One would assume he'd hold the edge in the leg strike department. Does the data back up this assumption?   Total Leg Strikes Landed:Kongo - 17 of 21Mitrione - 8 of 9Percentage of Leg Strikes Landed:Kongo - 81%Mitrione - 89%Power Leg Strikes Landed:Kongo - 6Mitrione - 4Non-Power Leg Strikes Landed:Kongo - 11Mitrione - 4 Hate to sound like a broken record here, but this is yet another aspect where Kongo and Mitrione are nearly identical. Kongo does look to be a bit more accurate and slightly more active. We'd love to see these guys throw hands and vicious leg kicks until somebody goes to sleep, but it doesn't always go that way. Often, the fighter who is enjoying the stand up game the least is the first to shoot in for the takedown. If that happens, which heavyweight will it favor? Ground Strikes Landed:Kongo - 20 of 32Mitrione - 11 of 18Percentage:Kongo - 63%Mitrione - 61%Power Ground Strikes Landed:Kongo - 11Mitrione - 8Non-Power Ground Strikes Landed:Kongo - 9Mitrione - 3Takedowns:Kongo - 2 of 5 for 40% Mitrione - 0 of 0 for 0%Submission Attempts:Kongo - 0Mitrione - 5Dominant Positions: Kongo - 0Mitrione - 2 Kongo has notched three of his victories by way of submission. Mitrione is yet to make an opponent tap out, but in his defense, he hasn't had to. At the end of the day, they don't fight the fights on paper or on the internet. The only statistic that ultimately matters is who steps into the Octagon, takes care of business and gets his hand raised afterwards. Are you Maniacs intrigued by this match up? Do the numbers make you feel any differently about who you thought would emerge victorious?  Sound off!

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Two tough heavyweights will meet this Saturday night (October 29, 2011) in the co-main event of UFC 137 as veteran kickboxer Cheick Kongo takes on undefeated alumni of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 10, Matt Mitrione. Kongo is on the heels of one of the craziest comeback performances in MMA history, somehow surviving while hurt badly against Pat Barry in the main event of UFC on Versus 4 and then knocking him out cold just seconds later. He'll be looking to halt Matt Mitrione's rise up the UFC heavyweight ranks. Mitrione has quietly gone 5-0 in the UFC heavyweight division and after scoring consecutive knockout victories, he's finally ready for a major test of his skills. If he can defeat the upper level gatekeeper Kongo, he will be ready to take on the elite heavyweights in the division. Will Kongo make his stand and declare, "You shall not pass!" to Mitrione? Is Matt Mitrione ready to take the plunge into that next level of competition? What does each man have to do to earn a win on Saturday night? Let's find out: Cheick Kongo Record: 16-6-2 overall, 9-4-1 in the UFCKey Wins: Mirko Filipovic (UFC 75), Pat Barry (UFC on Versus 4), Paul Buentello (UFC on Versus 1) Key Losses: Frank Mir (UFC 107), Cain Velasquez (UFC 99), Heath Herring (UFC 92) How he got here: Cheick Kongo entered the UFC very highly trained in the striking arts which included Kendo, Karate, kickboxing and Muay Thai. Kongo had a big 5-1 stretch in his UFC career from 2007-2009 but eventual UFC champion Cain Velasquez stood in his path. Velasquez was nearly knocked out at the beginning of all three rounds by the Wolfslair fighter but would recover and put the Frenchman on his back to pull out a unanimous decision victory. Since the loss to Cain, Kongo has gone 2-1-1 in the UFC. For some reason, he was infatuated with Travis Browne's shorts at UFC 120 which resulted in the fight being a draw. His last fight against Pat Barry was one of the most memorable of 2011. After getting rocked and nearly knocked out on 2-3 occasions in a matter of 20 seconds, Kongo pulled off the ultimate Hail Mary by knocking Barry out cold with an uppercut-cross combo of his own once he got to his feet. He rose up a couple notches and earned a bout against the undefeated Mitrione to continue to climb back up the ranks. How he gets it done: Conventional wisdom says that Cheick Kongo would want to stand and trade with Matt Mitrione due to his solid striking background but the key path to victory for the Wolfslair fighter is to be unpredictable in his attack, mix in some takedowns with his striking. Kongo isn't a great wrestler, but he's shown that it's a part of his overall game that he's put a lot of work into. He was able to wrestle Heath Herring pretty well and he physically dominated Paul Buentello last year. Matt Mitrione talks all the time about how wrestling is the part of his game he needs to improve the most in and he had issues when Christian Morecraft put him on his back temporarily in his last fight so this is something that could definitely work if the Frenchman can implement it properly. If the fight is standing, Kongo will need to avoid the low blows and the pants-grabbing. He's built a bad reputation for all the points that he's been deducted throughout his UFC career so the referee may be giving him a short leash. He'll also have to do a better job of playing defense. He's been hurt badly in two of his last four fights and he can't afford to do that against Mitrione. Matt Mitrione Record: 5-0 overall, 5-0 in the UFC Key Wins: Joey Beltran (UFC 119), Christian Morecraft (UFC on Versus 4), Kimbo Slice (UFC 113) Key Losses: none How he got here: After a brief and uneventful career spent in the NFL as a lineman, Matt Mitrione tossed his hat into the cage to give mixed martial arts a try. Despite never having competed professionally, he was accepted as a cast member of The Ultimate Fighter's tenth season where he was portrayed as one of the "bad guys." "Meathead" has since shed that reputation with his fun-loving personality and the ever-present smile on his face, even while he's locked in combat. Mitrione dominated Marcus Jones in his UFC debut and followed it up with what many casual fans perceived as a "huge" win over Kimbo Slice at UFC 113. He stole the show at UFC 119 with a "Fight of the Night" winning performance against Joey Beltran and then showcased his improved striking with a smashing first round knockout of Tim Hague earlier this year. In his last performance, Mitrione pounded Christian Morecraft for nearly two full rounds before finishing the fight last in the second. He's looking to take it to the next level against Kongo. How he gets it done: The ex-NFL lineman would love to continue to showcase his improved striking. He's got great movement for heavyweight and bounces around very light on his feet. They key for Mitrione is to be not simply throw the same combinations over and over. Kongo has been hurt badly when he's been hit by strikes that he doesn't see coming. If he can confuse Kongo with his footwork, it could set up a big knockout blow in the stand-up department. Kongo will likely be shooting in for takedowns as well to test Mitrione's ground game. He'll need to use his athleticism to drop down and sprawl quickly. Mitrione will be the bigger fighter on Saturday night and Kongo isn't the greatest wrestler, so as long as he's not caught completely off guard with a takedown attempt, he should be able to stuff them. Fight "X-Factor:" The X-Factor for this fight is Matt Mitrione taking a major jump up in competition. Until now, he's only taken on lower level heavyweights, but Cheick Kongo is a legitimate UFC opponent who's only two losses in the last three years have been to the current heavyweight champion or a former champion.  Mitrione will need to be incredibly focused for this fight as Kongo will clearly have an experience edge and he's seen much more in his UFC career than "Meathead" has. This is a major test for the TUF season 10 veteran and if he can pass it, he could be a legitimate contender. Whether or not he can rise to the occasion will be a huge factor in this fight. Bottom Line: Both Matt Mitrione and Cheick Kongo are solid strikers and if they get drawn into a stand-up war, this has the makings of a very fan-friendly fight. Even if this match goes to the ground, it will be an interesting exchange to see how Mitrione responds and whether his wrestling has improved to the point where he can pop back to his feet or, like his last fight, he holds on and hopes for a stand-up. This is a huge test for Matt Mitrione. We already know that Check Kongo is an upper mid-level heavyweight, but if "Meathead" can pass this test, he'll have the potential to be a UFC title challenger someday. Who do you think will come out on top at UFC 137? Tell us your predictions in the comments below! Poll Who will earn the victory on Saturday night in the UFC 137 co-main event? Matt Mitrione Cheick Kongo   8 votes | Results

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Rapidly rising contender Matt Mitrione, who will look to take another step up the Heavyweight ladder when he meets Cheick Kongo in the UFC 137 co-main event, discusses his opponent, as well as the hype he's built since his time on TUF 10. Mitrione acknowledges that Kongo is a dangerous fighter, but says the match-up will prove whether or not he's "legit."

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MMAFrenzy’s coverage of UFC 137 continues as we continue our preview of Saturday’s main card with a fight between heavyweights Matt Mitrione and Cheick Kongo. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com each day this week as we take a look at new fight from UFC 137, leading up to the main event showdown between welterweight contenders BJ Penn and Nick Diaz. Matt Mitrione vs. Cheick Kongo Keys for Mitrione (BR) - The smack talk between these two has gotten quite weird. Mitrione mentioned getting Kongo pregnant if he has to wrestle his way to a win. Kongo fired back ‘if he is going to get me pregnant, then I am going to give him his period.’ This whole scenario has become stranger by the day, and I would like for them both to release the results from their physical to find out who the actual female is in this fight, since they both seem to contend the other one is. Regardless of the ending circumstances following Saturday, these two will fight. Mitrione will be looking to continue his undefeated streak in the UFC, as he has won his previous five matches. What Mitrione brings that very few heavyweights can compete with is his athleticism. As a former NFL player, he has dictated the pace in every one of his fights. He should be able to do that again on Saturday. While Kongo will be more than comfortable standing with Mitrione, Kongo has struggled with quicker guys that are precise with their strikes. Yes, Kongo did knock down champion Cain Velasquez twice, but Velasquez recovered and ultimately won by decision. Since that fight, Kongo has fought Frank Mir, who easily dismantled Kongo. He was on his way to losing to Pat Barry before coming back from the dead to knock him out. Mitrione has endured few issues in his two fights this year, against Tim Hague and Christian Morecraft. Kongo will most certainly threaten Mitrione more than those previous two. With those comments about “impregnating” Kongo, it seems that Mitrione is planning on grappling with Kongo. However, I don’t expect that to occur. Mitrione has gained confidence by the minute during the last two years in the UFC. That confidence should continue on Saturday. Keys for Kongo (Chris Leslie) – There is one important question ahead of Kongo’s fight with Mitrione “how much has Kongo left on the operating table?” Let’s be honest, we really did not learn that answer in his fight with Pat Barry. The fight with Barry was really a pyrrhic victory for Kongo’s central nervous system, as he had Dan Miraglotta’s observant refereeing and Barry’s inaccurate strikes to thank for even surviving to have a shot at the KO. Kongo has had a good run in the octagon, and at 36, he has fallen to gatekeeper status. Mitrione has to be careful because, when healthy, Kongo is an accurate striker with good takedown defense. Whether or not Kongo is healthy, he still has the power to finish a fight in quick and decisive fashion at anytime. A fact that Barry found that out the hard way. While Kongo has the kickboxing base and talent to give Mitrione trouble, Kongo could always throw Mitrione a curveball like he did Heath Herring and grapple. Mitrione’s takedown defense is usually pretty strong unless he gets overextended, but that can be said of most strikers. So while it is unlikely that Kongo will surprise us and turn the fight into a ground war, it is something that can always happen. If Kongo loses badly however, I would not be surprised if he hangs it up after a solid career in the UFC and kickboxing. UFC 137 Previews: Roy Nelson vs. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic Scott Jorgensen vs. Jeff Curran Hatsu Hioki vs. George Roop Donald Cerrone vs. Dennis Siver For UFC 137 results and complete UFC 137 coverage stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

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LAS VEGAS -- It was only two years ago that Matt Mitrione was a green rookie on The Ultimate Fighter. During that season, he was picked 13th out of 16 fighters, yet despite being the newest to the game, he's now on the verge of being the most high profile of the bunch. At Saturday's UFC 137, Mitrione will make a big leap in opponent level, facing the veteran Cheick Kongo. Mitrione has always been prized for his promise and athleticism, but given his late start in MMA (he was already over 30 when he started his pro career), there have always been questions if he can pull everything together in time to make himself a factor in the UFC's heavyweight division. With a win over Kongo, he will have accomplished that, even though it's not something he's not focused on. "I haven't really thought too much about it because I'm not paid to think about it," he said. "I'm paid to go out and try to put on the best performance I can. And if I do well and go out and beast him, that's a conversation to have. And if I go out there and get my ass kicked, then that's a conversation not to be had. But I don't really have to worry about either one of those until the press conference afterwards." Describing Kongo as "the upper-end measuring stick," Mitrione acknowledged that this fight will provide information on just where he stands in his career. The 33-year-old has been brought along in a measured process until now, winning all five of his fights, with four coming by way of KO or TKO. It's been a strong run in his second pro sport. After playing collegiate football at Purdue Mitrione made it to the NFL, spending time with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. But after being cut in week six of the 2005 season, he transitioned from athletics to corporate America, where he designed and sold benefits packages for corporations. While he made a good living, it didn't quite scratch his competitive itch, and the sports door opened back up when his friend, Washington Nationals' baseball player Jayson Werth decided to produce an MMA event and asked Mitrione to take part in it. Mitrione, who had begun training ended up getting hurt and didn't fight, but by that time, he had developed friendships with Chris Lytle and Jake O'Brien, and he stuck with MMA. Six months later, he was on TUF. Wednesday's fighter workouts took place at the TUF gym, providing Mitirone with some flashbacks from his early days. "I was kind of struggling day by day," Mitrione said of his time on the show. "I was d------ around too much. I kind of lost a lot of my wide-angle focus. I got tunnel vision pretty well on just fighting Scott Junk and making things happen that way. It's nice I'm on a little bit of winning streak. It's nice to come in here and have a little bit of something under my belt. But yeah, I was here, it sucked, but it was the best worst thing of my life." Mitrione said that the 20-something version of himself would not have been able to handle this rise, saying "I probably would have been a flash in the pan, if I was even a flash." "It's something that I'm mature enough to be able to handle this career now," he said. "When I was younger, I was a dumbass. I was drunk and partied way too hard so I probably would have f----- it up somehow." Mitrione has shored up his training, flying in grappling coach Neil Melanson to work with him, spending hours on the road to improve his wrestling with coach Ryan Root, and even traveling to Florida to train with his former TUF coach Rashad Evans. So Mitrione is embracing his TUF roots in order to achieve his future goals. He knows full well about Kongo. The French fighter is dangerous, with powerful, accurate strikes, and Mitrione is aware that his usual aggression could play into Kongo's hands. Yet he believes that everything has led him to this moment. His early immaturity, his time on TUF, his late-blooming MMA career, it has all led him to the brink of breaking into contender status. "I see it as the right opponent at the right time," he said. "It's definitely a step up from the caliber of competition I've faced already. I'm excited for it. It's something I've wanted." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Cheick Kongo discusses his upcoming heavyweight fight with Roy Nelson.

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MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani caught up with BJ Penn, Cheick Kongo, Matt Matrione, Roy Nelson, Donald Cerrone and Francis Carmont to talk about their upcoming fights this weekend at UFC 137. Also, MMA Weekly tracked down the generally media elusive Mirko Cro Cop.

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Cheick Kongo has been fighting MMA since 2001 compiling a career record of 16-6-2 in the sport since. He is hoping that experience will help carry him past Matt Mitrione when the two heavyweights meet in the co-main event of UFC 137 Saturday night from Las Vegas, Nevada. Kongo is 2-0-1 in his last three fights, working past a two-fight losing streak to current UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez and former UFC title-holder Frank Mir. The 36-year-old is currently training with Quinton Jackson at the Wolfslair MMA Academy in England. While “Meathead” presents another great challenge, having won all five of his MMA fights since his stint on The Ultimate Fighter 10, Kongo is planning on not letting Mitrione further make a name for himself this weekend. “Everyone gets a chance to face someone famous. It’s a good thing for him. Matt is a likable guy and has done well so far; I respect him as a fighter and expect for him to give a good fight,” said Kongo, in a recent interview with UFC’s website. “Ultimately, he’s going to be ready for the bout. I’ve fought for so many years and been so careful. I learn a lot from my last mistakes and I will do my best.” Kongo seemed to be well on his way to possibly fighting for the UFC title before Velasquez earned a decision victory over him in 2009. The Mir loss came later that year but Kongo has gotten himself back on track since by defeating Paul Buentello and Pat Barry. “If I get the chance to fight (for the title), I would be happy,” Kongo said. “I know the line is very long, but hopefully, yes, I would like to fight for the belt as soon as possible.” “Rampage” Jackson, who is working alongside Kongo, it excited for the fight, saying, “Matt brings it and Kongo ain’t scared to bring it.” On the subject of coming into every fight with the goal of finishing a foe, Kongo is approaching Mitrione in the same way, making a bold prediction on the outcome of this weekend’s offering. “I came here to win and I will win. I’m going to knock him out,” Kongo concluded on the match-up with Mitrione. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Frank Mir tops all heavyweights with 18 UFC appearances over the past decade. The big man with the second-most Octagon performances? Believe it or not, the distinction belongs to Mr. Cheick Kongo. The striking specialist has been under the Zuffa umbrella longer than world champ Cain Velasquez, longer than No. 1 contender Junior dos Santos, and longer than Shane Carwin, Mirko Cro Cop and Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Noguiera, among others. The sculpted Frenchman battles former NFL player Matt Mitrione this Saturday in what will mark Kongo’s 15th foray inside the sport’s most celebrated and symbolic cage. And none of the 36-year-old’s appearances was more exhilarating than his unforgettable 159-second scrap against Pat Barry, who had twice dropped Kongo with punches and immediately charged his equilibrium-challenged prey in search of the finish – only to be flattened unconscious by two thunderous and desperation right hands that he never saw coming. The improbable ending of that June tussle stands as one of the sport’s most dramatic comeback victories ever, forever worthy of a place in any highlight reel, and served notice that Kongo may not be the “gatekeeper” some presume him to be, but may in fact still be marching toward the title shot that has long eluded him. “If I get the chance to fight (for the title), I would be happy,” said Kongo, typically a man of few words during interviews and 9-4-1 overall in UFC bouts. “I know the line is very long, but hopefully, yes, I would like to fight for the belt as soon as possible.”It was Kongo, you might recall, who gave unbeaten heavyweight kingpin Cain Velasquez his toughest challenge to date. Kongo is the only fighter that Cain wasn’t able to stop inside the distance. All the other Velasquez victims succumbed under a relentless hail of punches, and only Kongo somehow weathered the storm in the 2009 showdown – and a hellacious storm at that. Cain, beastly wrestler that he is, ragdolled and pounded the 240-pound Paris native for almost the entire 15 minutes. So overwhelming and one-sided was the abuse, it was dubious whether Kongo would survive the first round. Yet Kongo showed exceptional resilience and became the only opponent to wobble Cain with punches (exposing at the time an apparent chink in the younger Cain’s armor which included a lack of head movement and failure to adequately set up his takedowns with strikes). Mitrione (5-0) certainly doesn’t present the brute force that Cain does (who can?). But the engaging character is a former collegiate and professional football player in possession of a silver tongue, top-flight athleticism and the kind of fighting instincts that can’t be taught. The Purdue graduate is a hard-hitting 260-pounder who seems to grow leaps and bounds with each passing month both in standup and on the ground. But, by his own admission, he has never fought anyone as dangerous or “crème de la crème” as Kongo (26-6-2). Obviously, this is a huge litmus test for Mitrione, and a win for him boosts his stock considerably. “Everyone gets a chance to face someone famous,” Kongo said. “It’s a good thing for him. Matt is a likable guy and has done well so far; I respect him as a fighter and expect for him to give a good fight. Ultimately, he's going to be ready for the bout. I’ve fought for so many years and been so careful.  I learn a lot from my last mistakes and I will do my best. But 40 fights, yes, that's something greater so I am greater here (in experience). He's in great shape. Let's see. So I wish him good luck next Saturday.”Mitrione, who has trained with Neil Melanson, Rashad Evans and Jake O’Brien for this fight, has been equally respectful of Kongo, but finds the matchup favorable. “I expect to win. I’ve got a good punch, very quick hands, aggression and a damn good chin,” Mitrione said. “I can put a lot of pressure on Cheick Kongo. I’m definitely going to stand and bang with him; the question is if he’s going to stand and bang with me?”A reporter asked Kongo if there was anything in particular about Mitrione that concerns him. “Well, I don't have anything to say about that,” Kongo said. “I’ll be aware of his boxing, jiu-jitsu and wrestling. In the last fight (against Barry), I guessed incorrectly and he was on top of me. He surprised me and I didn't expect it. Now I'm getting better. And I'd just like to be better for the next time, everybody improves. I came here to win and I will win. I’m going to knock him out.” Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, longtime teammate and sparring partner of Kongo, predicted a very exciting fight, however long it lasts. “Matt brings it,” Jackson reasoned, “and Kongo ain’t scared to bring it.”

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It was early 2009 and a former NFL lineman Matt Mitrione found himself hooked on MMA while looking for a new path to travel down in hopes of maintaining his status as a professional athlete. In his quest to find the right training he came across the services of UFC Hall of Fame fighter Randy Couture and the rest, as they say, was history. Mitrione transitioned the lessons he learned at Xtreme Couture into a relatively successful run on TUF 10 despite only having six months of experience and zero professional fights. “Meathead” has since gone on to win his first five fights in the Octagon and now faces the biggest test of his career Saturday night at UFC 137 against French kickboxer Cheick Kongo. When Mitrione locks horns with Kongo he will be a far more evolved fighter than was the case two years ago, yet were it not for the pummeling he suffered at the hands of Couture it’s likely he would be standing in a different pair of shoes than those he’s currently wearing as UFC heavyweight. “I remember one day Randy beating the living sh*t out of me on the ground and yelling at me in the process. He was saying, ‘Look, kid, you’re supposed to have a lot of potential, and one day you might be something, but right now you’re on your back getting your ass kicked. Unless you figure out a way of changing that, you’re going nowhere,”” Mitrione recalled in a blog for SportsNet. “That whole experience really opened my eyes. From that day onwards I made it my mission to follow Randy’s advice and work on my catch-wrestling, which is something that puts the emphasis on staying off your back and actively working more advantageous positions. I have Randy to thank for that.” Elaborting some more, Mitrione continued, “That beat-down he served up to me was one of the best things to happen to me in my career. I never really would have noticed the flaws and weaknesses in my ground game if it hadn’t been for Randy pointing them out to me that day. I would have continued along the same path I was heading down and probably been exposed at some point in the Octagon. Randy flagged the problems and coach Neil Melanson set about putting them right.” “I’m now connecting the dots much better, thanks to the work of coach Neil and my catch-wrestling has opened my eyes to the potential of jiu-jitsu and submissions. It’s all the same end result, but you just use a totally different setup to get there,” the 33-year concluded before finishing with a message directed at Kongo. “If I happen to take you down and have my way with you on the ground on Saturday, don’t blame me, blame Randy. Also, if I happen to shout sweet nothings in your ear in the process, again, blame ‘Captain America,’ not me. It’s all his doing…” Mitrione Predicts “Wonderful Performance” against Kongo Kongo and Mitrione will face off as part of the main PPV card at UFC 137 starting at 9:00 PM EST with preliminary pairings being show through Spike/Facebook in the hours preceding the event. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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Hard-hitting heavyweights Cheick Kongo and Matt Mitrione will hook 'em up in the co-main event of UFC 137: "Penn vs. Diaz," scheduled for this Saturday night (Oct. 29, 2011) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The last time Kongo was in action, he was involved in one of the craziest and most memorable comebacks in Octagon history at UFC on Versus 4. After getting repeatedly rocked by Pat Barry, the French sensation landed a big right hand that stunned "HD" and finished the job with a monster uppercut. Despite his comeback performance, as well as the fact that this will be fight number 15 inside the Octagon, the Parisian has been pegged as the +110 underdog heading into "Sin City." That leaves Mitrione as the -140 favorite. Mitrione also competed the last time UFC invaded the Versus cable network channel and had his way with over-matched heavyweight brawler Christian Morecraft. In fact, if not for the Kongo comeback, "Meathead" likely would have won himself "Knockout of the Night" honors for his walkaway kayo in the second round. The win in Pittsburgh was his fifth straight. Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione at UFC 137. Who ya' got? For more UFC 137 odds and betting lines check out our fiscal friends Odds Shark by clicking here.

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Heavyweight veteran Cheick Kongo, who will go head to head with rising contender Matt Mitrione at UFC 137, sharpens his stand-up at the Muscle Pharm Sports Science Center in Denver, Colorado. Kongo will look to build on the momentum of his three-fight unbeaten streak, which includes a win over Pat Barry in what was one of the most dramatic comeback victories in UFC history.

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UFC 137 play-by-play of Cheick Kongo vs. Matt Mitrione on Saturday, Oct. 29, in Las Vegas.

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How does Cheick Kongo's ground game stack up to Matt Mitrione's? Find out what Kongo thinks in this exclusive UFC 137 pre-fight video interview.

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When Matt Mitrione watched UFC 137 opponent Cheick Kongo blast good friend Pat Barry into la-la land this past June it didn’t make him angry – it made him respectful. Elaborating on the subject of Kongo in a segment previewing the event, the undefeated 33-year old spoke about some of the Frenchman’s qualities including his ability to overcome adversity as put on display against Barry. “I know Cheick has a very good straight right. I know that he’s got very long limbs. He does not quit. He’s resilient as all hell,” Mitrione explained while alluding to Kongo’s comeback from the brink of unconsciousness to put Barry away a few minutes into their bout at UFC Live 4. However, the former professional football player also acknowledged a few of his own attributes, saying, “I’ve got strength that Cheick probably doesn’t have. I’ve got aggression and athleticism that Cheick might have never seen in his life.” Though “Meathead” may have five in-ring appearances under the UFC banner and was a major player on TUF 10, Mitrione made it clear the fighter people see on October 29 will be unlike any they’ve watched to date. “I’m a different fighter every time I go out there. A lot of people have never really seen me press a lot of action. In the first minute, a helluva lot can happen.” Mitrione holds an overall record of 5-0 with all five wins coming inside the Octagon including four strike-based stoppages with the most recent occurring against Christian Morecraft a few months back. You can watch the entire UFC 137 preview with Mitrione below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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French striker Cheick Kongo discusses his UFC 137 bout with Matt Mitrione.

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Cheick Kongo has another run in him for the UFC heavyweight title. But he's also contemplating life beyond MMA. "My goal right now is to get the belt and be happy with this," he told MMAjunkie.com. "Just say, 'I did it.' After that, I could retire." The French heavyweight is looking for a little bit of stability. His native country isn't a place where MMA is welcome, so to him, the sport has been a long chain of different gyms, different countries, and different people. He's looking to settle down.

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UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione talks about his UFC 137 co-main event bout with bruising striker Cheick Kongo.

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Cheick Kongo takes on Matt Mitrione on Saturday, Oct. 29, at UFC 137.

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Veteran Heavyweight contender Cheick Kongo, who will meet Matt Mitrione in the UFC 137 co-main event, discusses his opponent, as well as his training and preparation for the bout. Kongo acknowledges Mitrione's impressive learning curve, but says he's not concerned with "Meathead's" speed or punching power.

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UFC officials on Wednesday elevated the heavyweight showdown between Matt Mitrione and Cheick Kongo to UFC 137 co-main event status.

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I didn’t think Matt Mitrione would accomplish anything in the UFC outside of few lower tier wins, but seeing the amount of progress he’s made in the octagon, I’m a believer. He may not be a future champion but I think he’ll hold his own against even the elite of the division. Mitrione didn’t start with his best foot forward for UFC fans, becoming a very controversial contestant on the Ultimate Fighter season 10. Of course, no press is bad press and Mitrione has made the most of this added attention, turning a legion of haters into loyal fans with some incredibly impressive performances inside the cage. Since losing to James McSweeney on TUF, Mitrione has managed to put together a five fight win streak, and with only one decision. These wins may not be against top flight competition but he started his career in the UFC, and gaining five wins in the premier organization for MMA with such a lack of experience is no easy task. Matt Mitrione will get his first real challenge at UFC 137 against French kickboxer Cheick Kongo. Not to discredit his past opponents but Kongo is a top 15 heavyweight in the world and one of the best strikers in the division. He is by far the most talented fighter Mitrione has met in the octagon and his performance will say a lot about where he stands in the division. In his past fights Mitrione has gotten away with some rather sloppy striking and tends to get hit a lot. He’s made a great deal of progress with his striking and has become quite technical, but he’s going to have to be a lot more cautious this time around. Kongo is clearly the more accomplished kickboxer, and as Barry would attest to, he carries some serious power. Although Kongo is an experienced striker, he’s also very capable of inflicting some heavy ground and pound, and has some surprisingly effective takedowns. This is one aspect of Mitriones game we’ve yet to see extensively, and could be a weakness Kongo exploits next Saturday. Matt Mitrione doesn’t have a lot of time left in the sport at the age of 33, but has shown a lot of potential. It’s unlikely he’ll develop a strong enough wrestling acumen to succeed at the highest levels of the sport, but could be a very entertaining gatekeeper. We’ll see at UFC 137 what Mitrione is made of. 

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George and Weezie aren't the only ones movin' on up. Hard-hitting heavyweights Cheick Kongo and Matt Mitrione have been promoted to the co-main event of UFC 137: "Penn vs. Diaz," now that welterweight fighters B.J. Penn and Nick Diaz are headlining the pay-per-view event on Oct. 29, 2011, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. In case you haven't heard, or just refuse to accept it, Georges St. Pierre blew out his knee and was forced to withdraw from his "Sin City" title fight against Carlos Condit, who will take a seat and ride this thing out. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill. The last time Kongo was in action, he was involved in one of the craziest and most memorable comebacks in Octagon history at UFC on Versus 4. After getting repeatedly rocked by Pat Barry, the French sensation landed a big right hand that stunned "HD" and finished the job with a monster uppercut. Now, once again, he's got a perfect style match-up that could lead to consecutive memorable performances. Mitrione also competed the last time UFC invaded the Versus cable network channel and had his way with over-matched heavyweight brawler Christian Morecraft. In fact, if not for the Kongo comeback, "Meathead" likely would have won himself "Knockout of the Night" honors for his walkaway kayo in the second round. If he wants to settle that up with the Wolfslair kickboxer, now's his chance. With Kongo vs. Mitrione moving up in the order, the empty pay-per-view slot will be filled by a middleweight mash-up between Brad Tavares and Dustin Jacoby. Click here for all the updates and changes to the new UFC 137 fight card.

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With the amount of buzz surrounding the evening’s premier pairings, an excellent bout between on-the-cusp contenders Matt Mitrione and Cheick Kongo has been lost in the UFC 137 shuffle where hype is concerned. However, that hasn’t kept either man from preparing to be at their best come showtime on October 29, a point the undefeated Mitrione recently drove home. At 5-0 with all five of his wins coming inside the Octagon, Mitrione understands the impact a victory over an accomplished veteran like Kongo could have on his future and has made sure to take all the steps he feels are necessary to exit the arena with a “W” in tow. “I’ve put in so much work. I’m ready, I’m excited, I’m not overtrained. I feel l’m ready to go. I’m going to give a wonderful performance,” Mitrione explained in a conversation with The MMA Hour. “If Cheick wins, damn good job but I really feel I’m going to give a hell of a run for it.” Despite Record Mitrione Out for Job Security at UFC 137 “I promise you I’m ready to scrap…I feel like I am a very, very dangerous human being right now,” he continued while citing the assistance of training partners including former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans, a man who was also his coach on the Ultimate Fighter Season 10. Putting an exclamation point on how ready and able he feels, “Meathead” made it clear he’ll be ready for anything Kongo has to offer. “Whether it’s up against the fence, on the floor, up on top of the cage, underneath the cage, I feel wherever the hell it’s going to go, I’m going to be there ready to scrap. I feel that Coach Neil (Mealnson) put so much time and energy in me that if Kongo can get it to the ground, he won’t want to keep it there. If he does, I’ll tap him. I promise, I’ll tap him or I’ll break something, but I’ll get something done.” Mitrione and Kongo’s thrilling throwdown can be seen as part of the UFC 137 PPV featuring Georges St. Pierre’s title-defense against Carlos Condit at the top with Nick Diaz vs. BJ Penn comprising the co-headlining slot. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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Filed under: Strikeforce, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsThe biggest test of his professional fighting career awaits Matt Mitrione on October 29, when he steps into the cage to oppose the dangerous veteran striker Cheick Kongo in Las Vegas. At 5-0, Mitrione is still unbeaten, yet still quite green in the game. Still, he's opened some eyes with his power, conditioning and aptitude for learning and implementing new techniques. And while Mitrione's never displayed any lack of confidence, he says that the changes he's made in his training and diet have him chomping at the bit to get in the octagon against Kongo. "I promise you I'm ready to scrap," Mitrione said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "I've put in so much work. I'm ready, I'm excited, I'm not overtrained. I feel l'm ready to go. I'm going to give a wonderful performance. If Cheick wins, damn good job but I really feel I'm going to give a hell of a run for it." Just how ready is he? Mitrione, who was a pro football player in the NFL before moving over to MMA, claims he's reached his apex, saying he is more confident for his UFC 137 fight than he's ever been for any sporting event in his life. "I feel like I am a very, very dangerous human being right now," he said. Mitrione said his confidence stems from his training partners and fighting shape. He's spent time with former UFC fighter Jake O'Brien, noted grappling coach Neil Melanson, and is soon heading to Florida to finish up training with former UFC light-heavyweight champion Rashad Evans and kickboxing star Tyrone Spong. He is also working with strength and conditioning guru Mike Dolce. Now in his last weeks of camp, Mitrione is convinced he is well prepared to contend with all of Kongo's weapons. Though widely considered a kickboxer, Kongo has underrated wrestling (he takes down opponents on 65 percent of tries, according to FightMetric), and he also has powerful ground strikes. "I feel better right now than I ever have in my life," he said. "If Cheick's lucky enough to beat me, he beat the very best product I could put out there. The very best." Mitrione could have been distracted by the construction of his new gym, Integrated Fighting Academy, but he said he's put some of that work on hold until after the completion of the Kongo bout. In his last fight, he knocked out Christian Morecraft in the second round of their June encounter. Kongo is a decidedly higher caliber opponent, and a win could launch Mitrione into the fringes of the division's top 10. Less than two years after his UFC debut and coming from a pro football background, that type of rise is against the odds not only for its speed but its unlikeliness. Mitrione said he isn't thinking much past Kongo, but acknowledges that the fight is a good measuring stick to "see if I'm legit or not." With typical Mitrione candidness, he adds, "I think I'm kind of good right now." But Mitrione also knows there is danger lurking, citing Kongo's resiliency, experience and fight IQ as reasons to be wary. Kongo showed all those attributes in his last fight against Pat Barry, where he was in big trouble in the first round and staggered by Barry's power, only to rebound for a sudden, comeback knockout. "I feel that I am extremely dangerous anywhere inside of an 8-sided cage," he said. "Whether it's up against the fence, on the floor, up on top of the cage, underneath the cage, I feel wherever the hell it's going to go, I'm going to be there ready to scrap. I feel that Coach Neil put so much time and energy in me that if Kongo can get it to the ground, he won't want to keep it there. If he does, I'll tap him. I promise, I'll tap him or I'll break something, but I'll get something done." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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The second heavyweight offering on the main card of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage from the Pepsi Center in Denver will pit Travis Browne versus Rob Broughton. Travis Browne (11-0-1) has been a menacing up and comer who finally got a little widespread respect after clobbering the venerable Stefan Struve at UFC 130 with a first round knockout. The strike stoppage was his ninth in eleven fights with one submission and decision apiece making up the remainder. Eight of his finishes come in the first frame. Browne has yet to be defeated. The closest he came was a draw to Cheick Kongo at UFC 120 in which Kongo would've been awarded the decision were it not for a point deduction accrued from repeatedly grabbing Browne's shorts. "Hapa" wobbled Kongo with strikes but gradually declined in activity, leaving the door open for his opponent to mount a comeback. Rob Broughton (15-5-1) is a relative newcomer to the UFC. His debut at UFC 120 was a rear-naked choke on Brazilian Vinicius Queiroz, who was released shortly after for a failed drug test. Representing England's Wolfslair team, Broughton is a former Cage Rage British Heavyweight Champion with wins over Neil Wain and Neil Grove (both of whom had one fight in the UFC; Grove is active in Bellator) along with two over James Thompson via TKO. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. Travis Browne scored "Knockout of the Night" for the devastating superman punch he lands on Struve to the right. The Alliance MMA heavyweight has a thorough kickboxing game, splashing out stiff left high kicks effortlessly and packing monstrous power with his punches. For a towering 6'7" tall, Browne's agility is astounding. He moves more like a middleweight and assaults with fight-ending strikes from a composed and balanced stance. Having such deceiving agility makes his raw strength and aggression even more formidable. Here he impresses with a basic schoolyard shove of the normally physically imposing Cheick Kongo. Browne rattled Kongo in the first round with a volley of stiff left hands, clearly owning the opening frame. Despite the French kickboxer's eventual comeback, Browne was also successful in taking Kongo down from the clinch (below) and assuming complete control of the pace early. He's also been highly capable on the ground with solid knowledge of position and subs mixed with the steady pressure of attention-grabbing ground and pound. Broughton seems to have an even mix of boxing, clinch skills and ground wit. Seven of his wins come via TKO; five via submission. In his pre-UFC performances, James Thompson was getting the better of him before he turned the tide and finished with strikes. He has a perilous tendency to start slow. In his third-round submission of the inexperienced Queiroz (animation to the lower left), Broughton began by absorbing heavy blows that staggered him and was taken down and controlled in the first. Broughton's best attribute is his never-say-die attitude and unwavering fighting spirit. He's climbed back from the brink of defeat on several occasions and absolutely refuses to quit. His decision over the experienced gamer Neil Grove and submission of Neil Wain indicate his potential at the upper echelon, but certain losses in the past instill a foreboding feeling against a terror like Browne. Broughton lost his Cage Rage title to Tengiz Tedoradze, a little known journeyman from Team Rough House who is tough as nails with frightening punching power. Slick submissionist Ricco Rodriguez was able to manipulate a kneebar to tap Broughton in 2009 and he was overwhelmed in the M-1 promotion by Jesse Gibbs. Gibbs is no slouch (he holds wins over Dennis Stojnic and Brandon Lee Hinkle; losses to Aleksander Emelianenko and Fabio Maldonado) but Broughton's inconsistency against mid-level heavyweights is a looming concern here. Browne's affinity to eradicate with lightning-fast combinations (right) will be tough for Broughton to suppress. Barring the outcome, Browne's fight with Kongo showed a lot of upside and, after steamrolling Struve and James McSweeney, Broughton should be a highlight reel waiting to happen for Browne. I will happily admit to under-rating Broughton should he prove me wrong on Saturday night, but -- unless he performs at another level than he has in the past -- I see Browne handling him from outside with his cleaving high kick and a blitzkrieg of fierce punches. My Prediction: Travis Browne by TKO     All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton Travis Browne Rob Broughton   5 votes | Results

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Undefeated UFC heavyweight contender Matt Mitrione (5-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) will soon face the stiffest test of his...

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“Cheick is salty. That’s going to be a real test for me. But honestly, I’m excited. That’s why I started fighting. I want to be tested. I want to see how tough I am or how tough I’m not… I don’t take Cheick lightly. Cheick is a really serious contender. There’s been a lot of times that he’s so resilient, he doesn’t stop… I think he’s got seven or eight times the fights that I do. I’ve got five, and he’s got 40. But that’s kind of the fun part. We get to see if my athleticism can make up for his learning curve and if my learning curve can catch up and pass his… I’m just going to try and punch him in his face. I’m going to punch him. I’m going to kick him. If he wants to go to the ground, I’ll do my best to submit him… I can tell you where it’s not going: It’s not going to a decision. Either I’m going to sleep or he’s going to sleep or getting submitted. It’s one of the two. But I’m telling you, we’re going to dance the dance, that’s for sure.” — Matt Mitrione talking to MMA Junkie about his upcoming fight against Cheick Kongo at UFC 137 Cheick Kongo definitely represents the toughest test Matt Mitrione has faced in his short, albeit successful MMA career. It’s tough to say who’s going to win because we really don’t know how Mitrione is going stack up against a veteran like Kongo. I think Mitrione has a good chance of pulling it off, but only if he managed to shore up his striking defense since his last fight. Dropping his hands when he engages like he did over and over again against Christian Morecraft is going to get him knocked out against an experienced kickboxer like Cheick Kongo. Just ask Pat Barry. Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog

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