Cheick Kongo is going to finish Mark Hunt by way of knockout at UFC 144 Saturday night.
Kongo is starting to put an impressive winning streak together with back-to-back victories over Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione, and with the way Hunt presses the action on the feet, Kongo will score a powerful counter and send Hunt unconscious to the mat in the first round. You know, the kind of right hand that turned Barry’s world upside down at UFC Live 4.
Hunt made his name in Japan, and fans are very receptive to him over there. Because of that, he’ll be looking to give the Japanese another great show, and Kongo will make him pay for it.
If somehow Kongo doesn’t find the knockout, he and Hunt will put on a show. They both employ heavy hands that can drop their opponent, and they’ve proven in the past that they can take a shot on the chin as well.
Besides the Melvin Manhoef fight, Hunt has never been knocked out in an MMA bout, and Kongo has only lost by KO or TKO only once in his career.
There’s also that possibility that Kongo takes this fight to the ground and tries to ground-and-pound his way to a victory, but it would come as a complete surprise if that were his game plan.
Most likely, when these two fighters enter the octagon tonight, they will start off somewhat slowly because of the respect they have for each other. As the round gets to the midway point, look for the fighters to start to engage more.
Hunt and Kongo will go back and forth with exciting striking exchanges, and Kongo will catch him with the money shot at the end of the first round. Hunt’s aging chin won’t be able to withstand Kongo’s power in his right hand, and Kongo will give the Japanese crowd one more memorable knockout.
It won’t be all that bad for Hunt, either. Sure, you want to win and keep your job, and while defeating Kongo would be the spark for Hunt’s rebirth in MMA, it doesn’t get much more cooler than going out like a warrior in front of the Japanese hardcore MMA fans.
This is sure to be one of the best highlights from tonight’s show.
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