Cain Velasquez vs. Cheick Kongo
Fight Odds = (Velasques -200 / Kongo +160 at Sportsbook.com)
Quick Prediction = I see Velasquez giving Kongo a taste of his own medicine, taking him down and pounding him out late in the opening round.
The night’s featured bout sees undefeated Heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez put his streak on the line against dangerous Frenchman Cheick Kongo.
Kongo is looking to prove that he deserves the next shot at the UFC Heavyweight Title, while Velasquez will be looking to distinguish himself from the extremely impressive batch of rookies currently coming in the Heavyweight division, most notably Shane Carwin. Both men have crushing power in their fists and explosive wrestling, so this should be an extremely competitive Heavyweight showdown.
Velasquez, a former two-time Division I All-American wrestler, hasn’t had much chance to show off his wrestling skills thusfar in his young career, because he has been too busy crushing people’s heads with disturbingly powerful striking. Velasquez is one of the “new breed” of heavyweights, physical monsters with world-class wrestling backgrounds and one-punch knockout power who are able to overwhelm their opponents with sheer size and power.
Kongo, for his part, is no undersized brawler. A skilled kickboxer with excellent takedowns and vicious ground and pound, Kongo has cemented himself as a top contender for the Heavyweight title. A win against Velasquez would all but guarantee him the next shot at the belt, so you can expect him to do everything in his power to take this one. It’s hard to determine what either fighter’s gameplan will be.
Velasquez’s stellar wrestling background might make it difficult for Kongo to work his ground and pound game, and Velasquez’s tendency to stand and bang might be tempered by Kongo’s precise and powerful kickboxing.
With so many question marks, the only way this fight can be predicted is by examining the fighters’ physical gifts. In that regard, I see Velasquez pulling off a huge upset and proving to the world that he is a force to be reckoned with at Heavyweight.
His punching power, top-notch wrestling background, and ungodly physical strength are a dangerous combination, and I see him giving Kongo a taste of his own medicine, taking him down and pounding him out late in the opening round.
