Report: Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo at UFC 144 in Japan
by Fraser Coffeen on Nov 21, 2011 8:00 AM EST
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More fight news coming in for the UFC's return to Japan at UFC 144 next February, and once again, it involves a name very familiar to Japanese MMA fans. MMAWeekly is reporting that it will be Pride and K-1 veteran Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo in Japan.
A heavyweight bout between Chieck Kongo and Mark Hunt has been verbally agreed to for UFC 144 in Japan, although independent sources told MMAWeekly.com that no contracts have been signed as of yet.
Great fight here that will be a homecoming of sorts for the Samoan. Mark Hunt's greatest career successes have all come in Japan, first as a kickboxer in K-1 where he won the 2001 World Grand Prix, then in Pride where he went 5-3 including wins over Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop. He's been very popular with Japanese fans in the past, and will hopefully get a big reception when he returns.
Hunt is on a shocking career renaissance at the moment. After losing 6 straight fights, all in the first round, Hunt scored a big KO win over Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127. He followed that up with a win over Ben Rothwell, and now finds himself in the unlikely position of a two fight UFC win streak and a fight against one of the UFC's longtime veterans.
Kongo is also on the best run of his UFC career, undefeated in his last 4 and coming in off big wins over Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione. This will be Kongo's first fight in Japan.
Really interesting match-up here and I will be intrigued to see how it plays out. Kongo has a tendency to try and outgrapple fellow kickboxers when they square off, and that will probably be his strategy against Hunt. If he presses Hunt against the cage, and can control him on the ground, Hunt's cardio could come into play and allow Kongo to simply outwork him over 15 grueling minutes.
But if Hunt can avoid the ground and the clinch, and if he can force Kongo into a kickboxing fight, then Hunt is the superior striker, with the stronger chin, and the heavier hands. A Mark Hunt KO is absolutely a possibility here. In which case the 37 year old Mark Hunt will suddenly find himself inside the top 10 of the UFC Heavyweight division.
Mark Hunt (7-7)
W - Ben Rothwell, UD, UFC 135
W - Chris Tuchscherer, KO Rd. 2, UFC 127
L - Sean McCorkle, Sub Rd. 1, UFC 119
Cheick Kongo (17-6-2)
W - Matt Mitrione, UD, UFC 137
W - Pat Barry, KO Rd. 1, UFC Live on Versus 4
D - Travis Browne, Unanimous Draw, UFC 120
The latest rumored card for UFC 144 is:
Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson (UFC lightweight championship)
Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon
Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields
Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo
Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski
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wonder if rampage will get his wish and fight shogun on this card.?
Or I wonder if wandy will be on this card also? Today is the day they will tell us who will be on the fox card and I think its going to be kingo mo vs rampage.
I don’t think shogun is going to be fighting anybody that soon, much less a guy like Rampage. Let’s allow him to sit in a hot tub until about April, and then ask him if he’s ready to fight.
This is fantastic idea!
Wabderlei vs middleweight strikers without one punch KO power = vintage Ax Murderer performance. Bisping and Le fit the bill and Belcher doe,s too. That fight is good for the fans and good for Silva’s long term cognitive functions.
by Steve W on Nov 21, 2011 10:47 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
I think Belcher would light Silva.
KEMvP
"You know Joe, if Keith Jardines last name was Johnson, the nickname 'The Dean of Mean' wouldn't work at all."
I bet he's back into the gym within 2 weeks
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on Nov 21, 2011 4:41 PM EST up reply actions
Who said they're telling who's on the Fox card?
Business as Usual has a STACKED team. I mean, we could win with just me, but you know.
by halitosis on Nov 21, 2011 7:01 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Oh man, I'd LOVE to see Hunt on a 3 fight win streak
I have a soft spot for the guys that really seem to hit a low point and seem done.
I mean, in 2009, if someone told you Hunt would even be IN the UFC in 2011, let alone have a winning record…they might have literally laughed at you.
Good for Hunt. I hope he pulls this off…this would be a pretty big rankings upset.
Hunt vs Reem 2 for the UFC Heavyweight title in 2013?!?!?!
"You got Floyd Mayweather making 25 million dollars...he can't stop the double leg." - Nick Diaz
Slow down Hoss, don't go crazy now...
It’s clearly going to be Hunt© vs Fedor for UFC HW title with Stephan Bonnar© vs Mark Coleman for UFC LHW title as co-main, in 2013.
Book it.
"Now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb."
by menckenstein on Nov 21, 2011 8:19 AM EST up reply actions
I don’t think that the UFC and Fedor will come to a contract agreement. They’ve tried and failed to negotiate a contract multiple times in the past, and have always failed.
Too dry?
Oh hey guys it's Rich Hansen the party pooper
Thanks for killing the string before it got rolling.
"Now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb."
by menckenstein on Nov 21, 2011 8:35 AM EST up reply actions
hahaha
At this point…I think M-1 would absolutely be the first to say ‘okay, you win, whatever type of standard contract you want, we’ll take it’
But at this point I think the UFC guys would politlely tell them to stuff it.
With these strategic matches like Monson and Ishii…I feel like M-1 is trying to build it’s way toward getting Fedor into Bellator or maybe Pro-Elite or something.
"You got Floyd Mayweather making 25 million dollars...he can't stop the double leg." - Nick Diaz
by Chris Groves on Nov 21, 2011 8:39 AM EST up reply actions
They had Morgan Freeman doing the voiceover!!!!!
I can't figure out how to add the twiiter follow button so here's a link -____-
Follow @GabeMadridNYC
by Papercut Elbow on Nov 21, 2011 12:10 PM EST up reply actions
not to shit on Hunt BUT the only reason he is in the UFC is that he was contractually owed fights via the PRIDE purchase...
I think DW said he was willing to buy out the contract but hunt wanted to fight instead…I don’t know if he was owed more then 3 fights and now he’s on a new contract or a fight to fight basis but either way it’s coll to see him string together 2 wins hopefully the train keeps rolling for him.
Visit fiveouncesofpain.com
Yeah, I knew the technicality of why he was signed
I believe they had a bare minimum of fights they had to give him. Because if they could have jsut cut him off of a loss…they probably would have done it straight away after the McKorkle loss.
But if he isn’t on a new contract now, I am sure they’ll sign him to one…the heavyweight division is thin and he has shown that at worst he can be a good gatekeeper.
"You got Floyd Mayweather making 25 million dollars...he can't stop the double leg." - Nick Diaz
by Chris Groves on Nov 21, 2011 9:30 AM EST up reply actions
man, the Hunt-Rothwell fight. . .
was like two drunk gorillas waddling into each other. Classic and amazing for all the wrong reasons.
"Speaks well of a man to need a little something in this world. I wouldn't trust a man who could git through it cold sober."
--Harry Crews
War Hunt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hunt can and will ko Kongo.
And hey he showed some good sprawling and grappling against Rothwell, so I don’t think Kongo via takedowns is a lock.
Food goes in here.
I doubt it,
Kongo will beat Hunt the same way he beat Buentello. He changes levels surprisingly well in his shots, and penetrates deep into the hips.
Don’t forget how easily Overeem, Mousasi, and McCorkle were able to get Mark onto his back and work him from there.
Xtreme Couture- The best never rest! The girl in my av is Kari Sweets (you're welcome).
"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates
by ElliotMatheny on Nov 21, 2011 4:44 PM EST up reply actions
How awesome would that be
In which case the 37 year old Mark Hunt will suddenly find himself inside the top 10 of the UFC Heavyweight
LeBron James - 0 Charles Barkley - 0 Karl Malone/John Stockton - 0 Sun Yue -1
No dammit
We are exclusively Pride Never Die-ing in this comment section.
"You got Floyd Mayweather making 25 million dollars...he can't stop the double leg." - Nick Diaz
by Chris Groves on Nov 21, 2011 8:23 AM EST up reply actions
Exactly.
Atomic Butt Drop never die!
Editor at Blistered Thumbs
I love Jon Fitch.
Being a realist makes you a "hater" evidently.
by MicahtheCynic on Nov 21, 2011 9:43 AM EST up reply actions 6 recs
I’m one of those Pride fanboys but I don’t like Hunt that much, mainly because of the GIF above… Wanderlei should have got that W.
It would be a hell of a story. . .
But let’s not forget how freaking dead Rothwell looked in their fight, he was coming off a long layoff and practically gassed himself out during his walkout. You can blame Denver, but gotdamn the stars were aligned for Hunt.
I figure Congo will eat him up. It’s the perfect fight for Cup-Cheick, a slow, lumbering striker with no tank. I assume Congo will grind him against the cage until Hunt wears out, and then proceed to open up on the feet.
That said, I hope Hunt can keep it up.
"Speaks well of a man to need a little something in this world. I wouldn't trust a man who could git through it cold sober."
--Harry Crews
If Hunt would get into great condition, he would be a force to reckon with.
"If you say Chael Sonnen I will light you on fire." -- Farthammer.
To be fair he was fighting at altitude last time and he still beat the crap out of Rothwell.
But he’s come really far since his low period.
Food goes in here.
by Pandanus on Nov 21, 2011 8:32 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
The way I see it
heavyweights are predisposed to have lesser cardio in general
He was fighting at altitude
It was a pretty grueling fight with a lot of grappling
And he still didn’t gas as bad as he COULD have…I mean, he gassed…but all things considered…I’d say his cardio in general isn’t horrible, and is certainly passable.
I think as he realizes that he really is UFC caliber and capable of closing his career with a good run…he’ll probably work harder because of it.
"You got Floyd Mayweather making 25 million dollars...he can't stop the double leg." - Nick Diaz
by Chris Groves on Nov 21, 2011 8:35 AM EST up reply actions
Travis Browne
"Now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb."
by menckenstein on Nov 21, 2011 8:46 AM EST up reply actions
Damn...I would say Browne is a step up from Hunt
But I actually have been hoping that they sort of bring Browne along slowly.
Too often do the undefeated guys get sort of over-anticipated and rushed because of the pedigree of being undefeated. Especially when they excel right away.
I’m glad he dropped that draw to Kongo, stayed undefeated, but his progress was tampered a bit.
I’m glad he didn’t just wreck Broughton in the first…the guy has potential…but it’s not fair to be throwin him in with the top-top guys just yet.
"You got Floyd Mayweather making 25 million dollars...he can't stop the double leg." - Nick Diaz
by Chris Groves on Nov 21, 2011 9:11 AM EST up reply actions
To be fair,
Rothwell was fighting at high altitude after a 15-month layoff. I think if they did that fight again it would end differently, but a W is a W.
"Speaks well of a man to need a little something in this world. I wouldn't trust a man who could git through it cold sober."
--Harry Crews
Pride Never Die
Hunt will win in the land of the rising sun! Hunt via butt slam.
’’apparently the the only way to kill a lion is by rear naked choke…personally i’d just kick it in the head.’’ – Bas Rutten
by pridedaze09 on Nov 21, 2011 8:27 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Atomic Butt Drop
up in this piece!
Come on, Rebel, we gonna bust him up tonight!
Bust his chops! Oh, that hurts my parts!
wow
Mark Hunt has suprassed Mitrione
that is hilarious
I am willing to test myself against the toughest fighters in the world, in front of hundreds of thousands or even millions of fans, over and over again. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but I always come to fight. I've been doing this for the past fourteen years, and I have at least a few more strong years left in me. What have you done in the past fourteen years other than act like a moron on this forum and hang on Anderson's nuts? - Dan Henderson.
has anyone subscribed to his 100$ a year website subscription
or whatever he had going? he seems to have not been kidding about going for the title
I am willing to test myself against the toughest fighters in the world, in front of hundreds of thousands or even millions of fans, over and over again. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but I always come to fight. I've been doing this for the past fourteen years, and I have at least a few more strong years left in me. What have you done in the past fourteen years other than act like a moron on this forum and hang on Anderson's nuts? - Dan Henderson.
I certainly have it, I didn't even know he was still doing it...I thought he tried it and gave up
Back when he was hurting for money.
UFC level sponsorships and that 75K knockout bonus at 127 have probably gone a way towards easing his monetary pains.
"You got Floyd Mayweather making 25 million dollars...he can't stop the double leg." - Nick Diaz
by Chris Groves on Nov 21, 2011 9:14 AM EST up reply actions
certainly *haven't*
"You got Floyd Mayweather making 25 million dollars...he can't stop the double leg." - Nick Diaz
by Chris Groves on Nov 21, 2011 9:15 AM EST up reply actions
gotta side with the lovable Samoan underdog here…
retsu madurfackuru!!
"The Glen Rice scandal is way out of line w/ the GOP's values. They're interested in fucking black people by the millions, not one at a time"
by Victor Rodriguez on Nov 21, 2011 9:32 AM EST reply actions
This doesn’t make a ton of sense to me. Seems like a big step down for Kongo who should be getting a tough fight after the impressive showing vs Mitrione.
Mark Hunt is pretty bad and would prob be around +400 to Meathead
I'd take Hunt at those odds
You give me Hunt at +400 against a guy that won’t attempt to take him down?……Book it.
Now Kongo on the other hand, he will know that his easiest path to victory is putting Hunt on his back and I don’t doubt he will take that approach.
by Snake_Pliskan on Nov 21, 2011 10:16 AM EST up reply actions
i can pay some primo fucking bills on hunt with this one.
good luck to Kongo if he plans on taking him down or knocking him out.
"The Glen Rice scandal is way out of line w/ the GOP's values. They're interested in fucking black people by the millions, not one at a time"
by Victor Rodriguez on Nov 22, 2011 4:30 PM EST up reply actions
I was thinking that this was a step down for Kongo as well. I mean, I love Mark Hunt and was cheering greatly for him during the Rothwell fight, and it’s fun seeing Mark Hunt fight pretty good competition. I don’t think that Kongo was that impressive against Mitrione, and that fight was kind of a snoozer. In the third round of Kongo vs Mitrione, Kongo was going for takedowns, and I see Kongo going for takedowns pretty early against Hunt.
Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Gobusiness123 for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.
by chrisbboy82 on Nov 21, 2011 10:35 AM EST up reply actions
Hunt showed great TDD against Rothwell whos a better wrestler than Kongo
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by Papercut Elbow on Nov 21, 2011 12:15 PM EST up reply actions
You think so? I’d say that at this point, they are about the same, or I’d give the edge in offensive takedowns to Kongo just because I’ve seen him use them more. I did like Hunt’s takedown defense against Rothwell though, and it gives me hope that Hunt can defend any takedowns by Kongo.
Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Gobusiness123 for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.
by chrisbboy82 on Nov 21, 2011 11:27 PM EST up reply actions
Kongo's showing against Mitrione
was hardly “impressive”
by Scott Haber on Nov 21, 2011 10:45 AM EST up reply actions
Fun match up and Hunt is known in Japan. Honestly both these guys are on the same level IMO. I fully expect Kongo to try and make this into a wrestling match though :p
you've seen hunt vs melvin manhoef?
i think the same thing is going to happen..
I am willing to test myself against the toughest fighters in the world, in front of hundreds of thousands or even millions of fans, over and over again. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but I always come to fight. I've been doing this for the past fourteen years, and I have at least a few more strong years left in me. What have you done in the past fourteen years other than act like a moron on this forum and hang on Anderson's nuts? - Dan Henderson.
Just took a look
That’s possible, but I don’t think we’ll see Hunt rush head long into a flurry this time. Even though he won, I’m sure Kongo doesn’t want a repeat of the beating he took when he “stood and banged” with Berry. Pretty sure Hunt hits harder.
by squaresphere on Nov 21, 2011 2:11 PM EST up reply actions
Mark Hunt better drill that takedown defense.
by discoandherpes on Nov 21, 2011 11:44 AM EST reply actions
Dear Mark Hunt, I love you.
1st round KO by MARKKKKKUUUU HAAAAUNNNNNTTTT!
Signed, Pick'em Champs 2011-2012: Michael Jordanesque in our picking skills.
by mountaineers101 on Nov 21, 2011 12:33 PM EST reply actions
Kongo is at his best when he can grind away from the top...
and Hunt has never shown any ability to keep an opponent from doing so. Kongo by clinch and LNP. It won’t be that exciting of a fight unless Hunt lands something big early ala Mir.
"The mat is my church, the ground is my heaven, Jiu-Jitsu is my religion. And once you hit the ground you're in my world..."
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