Height/Weight: 6’4/240 lbs.
Age: 33
Hometown: Paris
Fighting out of: Paris
Record: 12-4-1
The stakes: Brought in as a replacement for the injured Cain Velasquez, Kongo’s own inconsistency and one-dimensional style have landed him firmly in the role of gatekeeper despite his prodigious striking talent. Unless Kongo’s content in that role, he needs to put on a show against the newcomer al Turk and remind fan and matchmaker alike that he’s a force at heavyweight.
The breakdown: Anyone who stays on the feet with Kongo does so at his own peril. By the same token, anyone who tries to take down Kongo makes the first move towards an easy win. In al Turk, Kongo has an opponent with underwhelming takedowns who will try the ground-and-pound route. As long as Kongo establishes his reach early and uses movement to frustrate al Turk, his striking will take care of the rest.
Mustapha al Turk Scouting Report
Height/Weight: 6’2/245 lbs.
Age: 34
Hometown: Enfield, England
Fighting out of: London
Record: 6-3
The stakes: A newcomer to the UFC’s heavyweight ranks, al Turk comes from the scrappy Cage Rage circuit, which has yet to produce much in the way of contenders for the UFC. If al Turk wants to reverse that trend and solidify a spot for himself under the UFC banner, he’d do well by taking out Kongo and doing it in impressive fashion; this is likely the only chance he’ll get to prove himself on a stage this big.
The breakdown: In simple terms, al Turk needs a takedown if he plans on keeping a firm grip on consciousness. That means staying out of Kongo’s range early and waiting for him to overcommit before rushing in and going after the Frenchman’s spindly legs. From there, al Turk will have to advance past the guard quickly and secure a dominant position. If al Turk can manage that, he may actually have a shot.
* * *
The bottom line: Anytime a fighter needs to have the perfect approach just to have a chance, it gives good insight into how long his odds must be. Kongo has too much experience and striking for al Turk, who will be stuck trying to make up the difference with feeble takedown attempts. Don’t bank on that approach turning out too well for al Turk, who ends up on the wrong side of the KO reel.