Tag: Cheick Kongo

Cheick Kongo Joins Bellator’s Heavyweight Division

The ridiculously chiseled physique of Cheick Kongo will join the glut of former UFC fighters finding their way inside the Bellator cage this year.
According to a press release from the promotion, the heavyweight, who went 11-6-1 during his near seven-y…

The ridiculously chiseled physique of Cheick Kongo will join the glut of former UFC fighters finding their way inside the Bellator cage this year.

According to a press release from the promotion, the heavyweight, who went 11-6-1 during his near seven-year run inside the Octagon, will make his Bellator debut in September and will be featured in the Season 9 Heavyweight Tournament. That’s two months before both Tito Ortiz and Quinton Jackson will fight in Bellator’s first ever pay-per-view event.

Both Ortiz and Jackson joined the promotion earlier this summer after their long careers with the UFC came to an end. Welterweight Matt Riddle is the other ex-UFC fighter to sign a Bellator contract this year.

“After my contract was up in the UFC, I really wanted to take some time and reflect on everything,” Kongo said. “After talking to the people around me, especially someone like my longtime [sic] friend in Rampage, he told me how well Bellator has been treating him and what we can do with Bellator, and after getting to know Bjorn Rebney, it just seemed like the right fit for me.”

Kongo had been offered an extension to his UFC contract prior to his fateful meeting with Roy Nelson at UFC 159. However, he demurred, possibly hoping a win over Big Country would leave him in a better bargaining position. Instead, after being stopped in the first round for the second time in his last three fights, the Frenchman decided to pursue opportunities elsewhere.

“If you’re an MMA fan, you’re a Kongo fan,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “No matter who he fights he’s always going to bring the fight and put on a great show, and he’s one of the best guys you’ll have the pleasure of dealing with in MMA.”

Bellator’s Season 9 kicks off on Sep. 7 in Connecticut and runs through until Nov. 22. The heavyweight schedule is yet to be confirmed, but whoever makes it through to the final will face Russian champion Alexander Volkov for the title.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

France Upholds MMA Ban, “Who Cares?” Responds Everybody


(I mean, can you blame them?) 

For those of you who consider France to be the authority on anything (threesomes being the obvious exception), this news might come as a bit of a downer to you.

According to ESPN, the French Sports Ministry (or as it should be called, the Southwest German Sports Ministry. Way to go, FDR!) recently reconfirmed their ban on mixed martial arts, effectively cancelling any plans we might have to, as Lorenzo Fertitta put it, “eat croissants [and] watch the UFC pretty soon.” But relax, guys, they still have handball!

Despite joining the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation last March, the fight to keep MMA (and specifically, the UFC) out of France has seemingly found additional support in recent years, bringing to question whether Bob Reilly has recently purchased a summer home in Versailles or not. Someone should look into that. In either case, folks like Carole Bretteville, the president of the Women’s Committee for Federation Francaise du Sport d’Entreprise, point specifically to the UFC’s past social faux pas regarding females and the homosexual community as reason enough to deny the organization entry into their country:

France works very hard to promote equality in all aspects of life, especially in sports. I was appalled to find out how UFC was lobbying in France, especially when [told] how UFC has tolerated derogatory statements and attitudes against women. We cannot allow such an organisation to destroy all the work we have done to promote equality through French sports.

“…like the Tour De France,” she said before throwing a ninja smoke bomb and vanishing from the room.

–J. Jones


(I mean, can you blame them?) 

For those of you who consider France to be the authority on anything (threesomes being the obvious exception), this news might come as a bit of a downer to you.

According to ESPN, the French Sports Ministry (or as it should be called, the Southwest German Sports Ministry. Way to go, FDR!) recently reconfirmed their ban on mixed martial arts, effectively cancelling any plans we might have to, as Lorenzo Fertitta put it, “eat croissants [and] watch the UFC pretty soon.” But relax, guys, they still have handball!

Despite joining the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation last March, the fight to keep MMA (and specifically, the UFC) out of France has seemingly found additional support in recent years, bringing to question whether Bob Reilly has recently purchased a summer home in Versailles or not. Someone should look into that. In either case, folks like Carole Bretteville, the president of the Women’s Committee for Federation Francaise du Sport d’Entreprise, point specifically to the UFC’s past social faux pas regarding females and the homosexual community as reason enough to deny the organization entry into their country:

France works very hard to promote equality in all aspects of life, especially in sports. I was appalled to find out how UFC was lobbying in France, especially when [told] how UFC has tolerated derogatory statements and attitudes against women. We cannot allow such an organisation to destroy all the work we have done to promote equality through French sports.

“…like the Tour De France,” she said before throwing a ninja smoke bomb and vanishing from the room.

–J. Jones

Report: Cheick Kongo Follows Teammate “Rampage” Jackson, Signs with Bellator

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson made headlines today by signing with Bellator but it appears he may not be the only former UFC fighter heading to the Bellator cage.MMA Weekly is reporting that Jackson’s teammate, former UFC vet Cheick Kongo, has also signed …

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson made headlines today by signing with Bellator but it appears he may not be the only former UFC fighter heading to the Bellator cage.

MMA Weekly is reporting that Jackson’s teammate, former UFC vet Cheick Kongo, has also signed with the promotion.

Kongo was believed to have been cut from the UFC following a loss to Roy Nelson at UFC 159. However, the veteran took to his Facebook page to quell those rumors.

“Don’t believe he said/she said stories. I have not been cut by the UFC,” Kongo wrote. “I am Cheick Kongo, so I know best what’s next for me. It doesn’t mean that I am leaving the UFC. It doesn’t mean that I am staying. It means this is my life (MMA Weekly).”

It appears Kongo decided it would be best for his career to take his talents to Bellator rather than stay in the UFC. I’m inclined to agree with Kongo.

It was clear Kongo had become a poster-child for the term “gatekeeper” while in the UFC. He was good enough to beat most of the up and coming fighters but couldn’t secure a victory over one of the better heavyweights in the division.

His losses tended to be very emphatic while his victories were anything but “must-see TV.”

Now, Kongo heads to a heavyweight division that is incredibly shallow. Bellator‘s own website only lists 18 fighters in their heavyweight division and only a few would be known to MMA hardcore fans.

Kongo will likely enjoy a much easier time in the cage and could find himself on the fast track to a world title.

Expect Kongo to be heavily featured along with “Rampage” and “King Mo” for upcoming seasons of Bellator.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

[VIDEO] Cheick Kongo, Fashion King of Los Angeles

Cheick Kongo owns and operates a high-end clothing boutique in Los Angeles called FragoLA. I’ve got nothing clever to say about that right now because that true statement is pretty weird and awesome sounding on it’s own, isn’t it?

Kongo has always gone for a minimalist type of style (think, his vale tudo shorts, necklace and wire-rimmed glasses weigh-in uniform) so I suppose it makes sense that the former UFC heavyweight has chosen to invest in a store selling the latest seasonal offerings from expensive designers. Ok, it doesn’t really make sense but it is a hell of juxtaposition – A bear-voiced 240 pound professional fighter asking little Angelino women if they are finding everything alright – so, check out the video above, if only for the novelty of it all.

Karyn Bryant models some of FragoLA’s finest while interviewing Kongo in the store. I won’t say the interview is bad, I just couldn’t understand much of what was going on. Neither could Bryant.

Kongo shadily refuses to reveal how he keeps prices so low on his men’s and women’s designer duds and, for some reason, talks a lot about how he is black. I’d personally never before noticed that he was.

Kongo’s accent and weird “humor” make for an awkward sit-down. Any tater that gets through all sixteen minutes gets a special place in my heart and a shout-out in my next event live-blog.

So, in conclusion, Cheick Kongo owns and operates a high-end clothing boutique in Los Angeles called FragoLA. Wow.

– Elias Cepeda

Cheick Kongo owns and operates a high-end clothing boutique in Los Angeles called FragoLA. I’ve got nothing clever to say about that right now because that true statement is pretty weird and awesome sounding on it’s own, isn’t it?

Kongo has always gone for a minimalist type of style (think, his vale tudo shorts, necklace and wire-rimmed glasses weigh-in uniform) so I suppose it makes sense that the former UFC heavyweight has chosen to invest in a store selling the latest seasonal offerings from expensive designers. Ok, it doesn’t really make sense but it is a hell of juxtaposition – A bear-voiced 240 pound professional fighter asking little Angelino women if they are finding everything alright – so, check out the video above, if only for the novelty of it all.

Karyn Bryant models some of FragoLA’s finest while interviewing Kongo in the store. I won’t say the interview is bad, I just couldn’t understand much of what was going on. Neither could Bryant.

Kongo shadily refuses to reveal how he keeps prices so low on his men’s and women’s designer duds and, for some reason, talks a lot about how he is black. I’d personally never before noticed that he was.

Kongo’s accent and weird “humor” make for an awkward sit-down. Any tater that gets through all sixteen minutes gets a special place in my heart and a shout-out in my next event live-blog.

So, in conclusion, Cheick Kongo owns and operates a high-end clothing boutique in Los Angeles called FragoLA. Wow.

– Elias Cepeda

Friday Link Dump: Insane Chimp-Fight, King Mo’s Pro-Wrestling Debut, 100 Worst Yearbook Photos + More

Insane Chimp Fight – Watch More Funny Videos
(Well, that escalated quickly. Watch out for the appearance of the stick-sword at 1:02. Props: Break.com)

Roy Nelson: “It Only Takes One Shot to Become a Champion” (BleacherReport)

One Year After Much-Heralded Deal, King Mo Lawal Quietly Has First U.S. Pro Wrestling Match (MMAFighting)

Mark Munoz’s Low Point, And The Battles Fight Fans Rarely See (MMAJunkie)

“Metamoris 2: Gracie vs. Aoki” Video Trailer (YouTube.com/Metamoris)

Shannon Ihrke, Invicta FC Ring Girl: Top 10 Sexiest Photos (FightDay)

Cheick Kongo Turned Down Four Fight Contract Before UFC 159 (BloodyElbow)

Diego Sanchez Isn’t Impressed With Ben Henderson, Sees a Lot of Holes in His Game (MiddleEasy)

8 Creepy Dating Apps You Shouldn’t Download (MensFitness)

The 100 Worst Yearbook Photos Ever (WorldwideInterweb)

Reese Witherspoon’s Dash Cam Arrest Video Is Her Best Performance Yet (FilmDrunk)

The Most Surprising Clutch NBA Playoff Performances of All Time (Complex)

Brittney Griner Signs With A Chinese Team Because It Pays A Lot More (Deadspin)

The Funniest Counterfeits Ever Photographed (DoubleViking)

Avoiding the Dreaded ‘Friend Zone’, Part 1 (EgoTV)


Insane Chimp Fight – Watch More Funny Videos
(Well, that escalated quickly. Watch out for the appearance of the stick-sword at 1:02. Props: Break.com)

Roy Nelson: “It Only Takes One Shot to Become a Champion” (BleacherReport)

One Year After Much-Heralded Deal, King Mo Lawal Quietly Has First U.S. Pro Wrestling Match (MMAFighting)

Mark Munoz’s Low Point, And The Battles Fight Fans Rarely See (MMAJunkie)

“Metamoris 2: Gracie vs. Aoki” Video Trailer (YouTube.com/Metamoris)

Shannon Ihrke, Invicta FC Ring Girl: Top 10 Sexiest Photos (FightDay)

Cheick Kongo Turned Down Four Fight Contract Before UFC 159 (BloodyElbow)

Diego Sanchez Isn’t Impressed With Ben Henderson, Sees a Lot of Holes in His Game (MiddleEasy)

8 Creepy Dating Apps You Shouldn’t Download (MensFitness)

The 100 Worst Yearbook Photos Ever (WorldwideInterweb)

Reese Witherspoon’s Dash Cam Arrest Video Is Her Best Performance Yet (FilmDrunk)

The Most Surprising Clutch NBA Playoff Performances of All Time (Complex)

Brittney Griner Signs With A Chinese Team Because It Pays A Lot More (Deadspin)

The Funniest Counterfeits Ever Photographed (DoubleViking)

Avoiding the Dreaded ‘Friend Zone’, Part 1 (EgoTV)

UFC and Cheick Kongo Part Ways as Organization Won’t Renew Contract

There has been more than a little bit of confusion surrounding UFC heavyweight Cheick Kongo and his status with the UFC following his loss to Roy Nelson at UFC 159. Bloody Elbow reported that his profile on UFC.com had been removed, meaning i…

There has been more than a little bit of confusion surrounding UFC heavyweight Cheick Kongo and his status with the UFC following his loss to Roy Nelson at UFC 159.

Bloody Elbow reported that his profile on UFC.com had been removed, meaning it was likely Kongo had been released from the UFC following his recent loss.

Since the defeat, Kongo has made no public statement about his future with the UFC, but speculation ran wild that he had been cut from the roster.  The loss at UFC 159 moved Kongo’s record to 2-2 over his last four fights overall.

UFC officials confirmed with Bleacher Report on Wednesday via email (as well as MMA Fighting) that Kongo’s fight at UFC 159 was actually the last bout on his current contract.  At this time, it appears his deal with the promotion will not be renewed.

Kongo began his run with the promotion all the way back in 2006 when he had his first fight at UFC 61 against Gilbert Aldana.

Throughout his time with the UFC, Kongo amassed a 11-6-1 record overall while picking up wins against fighters such as Mirko “Cro Cop,” Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione.  His victory over Barry is considered one of the greatest comebacks in UFC history—Kongo was knocked down twice in the first round only to battle back with a knockout punch that won him the fight and the “Knockout of the Night” bonus to boot.

Kongo also went to a draw with current heavyweight competitor Travis Browne in a closely contested bout.

While always a competitor in the heavyweight division, Kongo struggled to ever reach the heights of the weight class, falling just short every time he appeared to be on a run towards contender status. 

Losses to names like Cain Velasquez, Frank Mir and Mark Hunt always seemed to keep Kongo from getting into scenarios that would lead to title fights.  His most recent loss last weekend at UFC 159 ended after former winner of The Ultimate Fighter Roy Nelson connected with a huge overhand right that sent the French heavyweight crashing to the canvas.

With all signs pointing towards the UFC not renewing his contract at this time, Kongo will likely fight for a new promotion when he signs his next deal at some point in 2013.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com