Cheick Kongo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cheick Kongo |
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| Born | May 17, 1975 Paris, France |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
| Weight | 242 lb (110 kg) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Reach | 81 in (206 cm) |
| Style | Karate, Muay Thai, Boxing, Greco-Roman Wrestling, Pencak Silat, Savate, Shootfighting |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Team | Kongo Smashin' Club Wolfslair MMA Academy Huntington Beach Training Center |
| Rank | Black belt in Karate Black belt in Kendo Brown belt in Pencak Silat Persaudaraan Setia Hati Terate |
| Years active | 2001–present (MMA) |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 23 |
| Wins | 21 |
| By knockout | 12 |
| Losses | 2 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 46 |
| Wins | 31 |
| By knockout | 15 |
| By submission | 4 |
| By decision | 12 |
| Losses | 12 |
| By knockout | 3 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 8 |
| Draws | 2 |
| No contests | 1 |
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last updated on: October 17, 2010
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Cheick Kongo, born on May 17, 1975, is a famous French mixed martial artist. He used to be a kickboxer and now competes in the Heavyweight division. Since 2001, he has fought professionally in MMA. He has competed in major organizations like the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Bellator.
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Early Life and Training
Cheick Kongo was born in Paris, France. His father was from Burkina Faso, and his mother was from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He started learning martial arts at a very young age, just 5 years old.
He began with Kendo and Karate. As he grew up, he earned black belts in both these styles. When he was 19, he started training in other fighting styles. These included Boxing, Muay Thai, Savate, and Greco Roman Wrestling.
At 23, he learned Pencak Silat from special teachers. Later, at 25, he discovered Shootfighting through a famous fighter named Bas Rutten. This led him to start his career in mixed martial arts in 2001. Cheick Kongo is also a cousin to the rugby player Fulgence Ouedraogo.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Cheick Kongo began his professional MMA journey on June 10, 2001. He won his first fight by knocking out his opponent. He continued to win, showing his strength and skill.
Fighting in the UFC
Kongo joined the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), which is a very big MMA organization. His first UFC fight was at UFC 61, where he won. He then won another fight against Christian Wellisch with a powerful knee strike.
He faced some tough opponents in the UFC. At UFC 75 in 2007, he fought Mirko Cro Cop and won by decision. This was a big win for him.
Kongo continued to fight well, winning against fighters like Dan Evensen and Mustapha al-Turk. He showed his strong striking skills in these matches. In 2009, he fought Antoni Hardonk and won by TKO.
He faced some of the best fighters in the heavyweight division. He fought Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir, who were top contenders. After a long career with the UFC, Kongo's contract ended in 2013. He left the UFC with a record of 11 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw.
Competing in Bellator MMA
After leaving the UFC, Cheick Kongo joined Bellator MMA, another major fighting organization. He made his debut in the Season 9 Heavyweight tournament in October 2013. He won his first fight in Bellator by TKO.
Kongo continued to perform well in Bellator. He won the Bellator Season 9 Heavyweight Tournament. This was a significant achievement in his career.
He fought for the Bellator Heavyweight World Championship twice against Vitaly Minakov and Ryan Bader. While he didn't win the championship, he showed great determination.
Kongo has had many impressive wins in Bellator. He defeated fighters like Lavar Johnson by submission and Alexander Volkov by decision. He also had exciting knockout wins against Javy Ayala and Timothy Johnson.
His career in Bellator has been long and successful. He holds the record for the most fights and most victories in Bellator's Heavyweight division. His last fight was on May 6, 2022, where he fought Ryan Bader for the Bellator Heavyweight World Championship.
Championships and Achievements
Cheick Kongo has achieved a lot in both kickboxing and mixed martial arts.
Kickboxing Achievements
- 2005 World Champion Federation King of the Rings
- 2005 King of Colosseum Tournament Champion
- 2005 Rings World Champion
- 2004 King of the Ring Super World Champion
- 2004 Muay Thai World Champion
- 2003 Intercontinental Muay Thai Champion
- 2002 RINGS European Champion
- 2001 RINGS European Vice Champion
- European Savate Champion
Mixed Martial Arts Achievements
- Bellator MMA
- Bellator Season 9 Heavyweight Tournament Championship
- Most fights in Bellator Heavyweight division history (18)
- Most victories in Bellator Heavyweight division history (13)
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Knockout of the Night (One time) vs. Pat Barry
- UFC.com Awards
- 2007: Ranked #8 Upset of the Year vs. Mirko Cro Cop
- 2009: Ranked #7 Loss of the Year vs. Cain Velasquez
- 2011: Knockout of the Year vs. Pat Barry
- King of the Ring
- KOTR Super World Champion -103 kg
- World MMA Awards
- 2011 Comeback of the Year vs. Pat Barry at UFC Live: Kongo vs. Barry
See also
In Spanish: Cheick Kongo para niños
- List of male mixed martial artists
- List of male kickboxers
