(PRESS RELEASE) -- SANTA MONICA, California – French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander Volkov (24-5) will stand toe-to-toe in the Bellator MMA cage on June 26.
The heavyweight slugfest joins previously announced matchups of lightweights Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17) and former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) on the event's featured portion.
The night's main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.
Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
Tickets for "Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov," which start at just $17 and include cageside seats for just $97, are currently available at Ticketmaster.com.
Kongo, a 6-foot-4 Frenchman, is a striking ace who boasts black belts in both Karate and Kendo. A multiple-time world champion in kickboxing, Kongo now focuses solely on MMA and has built a 4-2 record under the Bellator MMA banner. One of the most imposing figures in all of MMA, Kongo boasts 12 career knockout victories, including the sport's 2011 "Knockout of the Year."
The 26-year-old Volkov is an eight-time Bellator MMA veteran who rose to the promotion's highest rank in 2012 as the Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion. Though he would eventually cede the belt to current title holder Vitaly Minakov, Volkov bounced right back with three-consecutive stoppage wins. In his 24 career victories, Volkov has scored 17 by knockout.
"Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov" – Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas
Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5) Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: David Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17) Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) About Bellator MMA Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms. About Spike: Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike's press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos. About Kansas Star Arena The Kansas Star Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility, is located just off Exit 33 on the Kansas Turnpike and is adjacent to the Kansas Star Casino. The 42,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Kansas Star Arena is south-central Kansas’ home for big-name national acts such as Journey, Pat Benatar, Championship Rodeo, mixed martial arts events and more. The Arena accommodates up to 6,500 guests for headliner events. In 2014, Midwest Gaming and Travel awarded the Kansas Star more than 25 honors in its annual Reader’s Choice Awards, including “Best Concert Venue” in the state of Kansas. For more information, visit kansasstarcasino.com. Connect with Kansas Star Arena at facebook.com/kansasstararena and www.kansasstarcasino.com/entertain/arena. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming is a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Jersey. Boyd Gaming and Kansas Star Casino press releases are available at boydgaming.mediaroom.com.