CHEICK KONGO

ATTRIBUTES

OFFENSIVE SKILLS

DEFENSIVE SKILLS

ULTIMATE TECHNIQUES

RIGHT HEAVY STRAIGHT

Level 2—Both Standing, Striking Range

Kongo utilizes his exceptional reach to rock his competition with this long and heavy straight right hand. Connect with this crisp technique strike to batter rivals in the stand-up.

STRONG RIGHT KNEE TO BODY

Level 3—Single Collar Tie

Pressure Kongo’s opponents back toward the cage, then lock up in the Single Collar Tie and work them over with heavy knees to the body. These crushing knees aren’t usually available to other fighters in this position.

SWEEP TRANSITION TO GUARD, TOP

Level 2—Mount, Bottom

Kongo is usually in trouble when forced to fight off his back, but this excellent technique transition allows him to sweep his rival onto his back, escaping from a disastrous mount.

STRENGTHS

• Experience

• Athleticism

• Striking

Cheick Kongo is a big, strong heavyweight known for his powerful kickboxing and Muay Thai abilities.

He has great footwork and commonly enjoys a welcome reach advantage over his opponents—use these advantages to maintain a favorable range from Kongo’s rivals in the striking game.

Crack foes with strong kicks and long straights from the outside without exposing him to their counters.

Stay mobile and use his impressive footwork to maintain distance from takedown artists who seek to exploit his limited ground game.

While he doesn’t have the best control in the clinch, he can work some very effective Muay Thai offense from both the Single Collar Tie and Muay Thai Clinch positions.

Lock up with elusive strikers if their grappling game isn’t very strong and work them over with Kongo’s powerful clinch knees.

WEAKNESSES

• Submissions

• Clinch grappling

• Ground grappling

Kongo’s powerful striking and technical footwork make him a worthy opponent when exchanging against him on the feet, but he struggles to defend himself when he’s forced to fight on the ground.

Remain defensive in the stand-up game and look for a chance to dive under one of his big power strikes, which can sometimes be slow to find their mark.

Once he’s down, you’ll find him fairly easy to dominate from the top—he offers little resistance to transitions and can’t effectively threaten you with submissions from the bottom.

Kongo is also dangerous in the clinch, but powerful clinch grapplers might be able to dominate the position and use it to score takedowns with less risk of being countered.

Whether you prefer clinch throws or takedowns, focus on bringing him to the floor before the big man can land a big shot on the feet.