UFC Heavyweight bout: Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt
Odds: (-300Kongo /+230 Hunt )
Betting Pick: Kongo
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In a featured Heavyweight matchup, former PRIDE veteran and K-1 World Grand Prix champion Mark Hunt will square off against dangerous French kickboxer Cheick Kongo. Both of these guys are dangerous strikers with a lot of experience and deadly punching power, so this one has the potential to be a legendary standup war between two huge guys who are ready for action. There is no question that Kongo has better conditioning and a much more complete fight game, but when two guys this big and strong let their hands go, anything could happen at any time.
Mark Hunt was a mainstay in PRIDE during its heyday, and before that won the K-1 World Grand Prix, so clearly he is a very formidable kickboxer. In addition to his punishing striking, Hunt is known for having a granite chin and being able to absorb a huge amount of punishment, although some of that durability has eroded as he has aged and entered the twilight of his fighting career. Many thought Hunt was finished after he dropped six fights in a row, but he has rebounded with two straight wins in the UFC, so there is still a little left in his tank. There is basically no chance of Hunt beating Kongo with speed, technique, or cardio at this point, but as long as he is standing up and capable of throwing punches, he is still in this fight.
Cheick Kongo may not have Hunt’s K-1 kickboxing pedigree, but he has proven time and again that he is a formidable striker who is not to be underestimated. In addition to devastating power punching, kicking, and clinch work, Kongo also has some of the most underrated wrestling in the division and purely destructive ground and pound. There is every reason to believe that Kongo can outstrike Hunt with relative ease, but even if he gets in trouble he has the fallback plan of being able to plant Hunt on his back where he is helpless and unload disgustingly powerful punches from top position. Kongo also has an excellent chin which should allow him to fight more aggressively on the feet and take the fight right to the fatter, slower Hunt.
This is a terrible matchup for Hunt. He has enough power in his hands that he has a puncher’s chance against anyone in the world, but at this point there is literally nothing he does better than Kongo. Kongo will beat him to the punch consistently, can match him in power, and can hurt him with kicks, knees from the clinch, takedowns, and ground and pound as well. Nearly all of Hunt’s professional losses have come by way of submission, which illustrates just how terrible he really is on the ground. Kongo is unlikely to submit him, but I think he will outbox him fairly easily before this fight winds up on the ground where Kongo will force the stoppage with ground and pound. Kongo by T/KO.
Prediction: Cheick Kongo by second round T/KO.
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