Cheick Kongo has accomplished much and seen even more during a 44-fight career that spans more than two decades. Now well into his 40s, he continues to chase a prize that has thus far eluded his grasp: a major mixed martial arts championship.
The physically imposing Frenchman will return to the Bellator MMA cage in the Bellator 265 headliner, where he confronts Pride Fighting Championships veteran Sergei Kharitonov on Friday at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Kongo, 46, owns a 12-3 record under the Bellator banner, his resume anchored by wins over Alexander Volkov, Augusto Sakai and Tony Johnson .