In a career spanning 18 years that has seen him compete professionally 42 times, Cheick Kongo may well be getting his final crack at winning a major MMA title this weekend. Currently riding an eight-fight winning streak, the Frenchman has risen to the top of the Bellator heavyweight division and this run culminates with a shot at the belt. Kongo gets the opportunity to put a final stamp on his legacy at the SAP center in San Jose, California on Saturday night when he headlines Bellator 226 opposite reigning heavyweight title holder, Ryan Bader.
Kongo (30-10-2) earned a shot at the belt when he became the first man to ever defeat former Bellator heavyweight champion, Vitaly Minakov, in February after previously losing to the Russian in 2014.