Why Cheick Kongo Is A Tougher Fight For Cain Velasquez Than Heath Herring

by Kelvin Hunt on May 20, 2009 10:14 PM EDT in News Comment 13 comments

As we found out earlier, Cheick Kongo has stepped in to face Cain Velasquez at UFC 99. Velasquez was set to face MMA veteran Heath Herring in his first real test, before Herring had to bow out with an illness. Herring has become the litmus test for up and coming heavyweights as of late. Many people have cemented Velasquez as the future of the heavyweight division, and expected him to take Herring out. However, now with Kongo in as a replacement, I think this fight just became tougher for Velasquez and here's why:

Kongo is a bigger threat with his standup game
Kongo has improved his wrestling game a great deal
Kongo will enjoy a significant reach advantage

Kongo and Herring fought at UFC 87 with Herring winning a controversial split decision. However, that's the last fight Kongo lost, and he's been on a tear as of late albeit against somewhat limited competition. Velasquez hasn't faced anyone with the size or striking ability of Kongo. Velasquez exhibited the propensity to want to stand and trade in his last outing. If this fight stays on the feet, Kongo has a very good shot of taking him out unlike Herring who has won most of his fights via submissions and decisions. As I mentioned earlier, the reach advantage will be significant.

Most people will point to Velasquez's wrestling ability as the difference in the fight, and that could very well be true. However, when Herring is taken down(it happens often) he usually just tried to hold on for a ref stand up or turtle up on his hands and knees. Whereas, Kongo has shown the ability to get back up to his feet at times. I envisioned Herring/Velasquez going a lot like Herring/Lesnar. Simply because I couldn't see Herring ending it standing, nor could I see him taking Velasquez down. He probably would not have been able to stop Velasquez from taking him down either. However, Kongo has a shot at hurting Velasquez standing and possibly finishing him with the much improved GnP he has exhibited as of late. I'm not saying that Kongo will win, but I definitely wouldn't bet the farm on Velasquez in this one.

I love this fight as it answers a couple of questions. Is Cain Velasquez for real, and can Cheick Kongo beat a powerful wrestler?

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This fight will indeed answer lots of questions about both guys. I am usually not a fan of the heavyweights but this is perhaps the fight on this card that I’m looking forward to the most.

by SlickRick00 on May 20, 2009 10:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’ll be surprised if Kongo makes it out of the first round. Once the fight reaches the ground, it will be over pretty quick.

I don’t see what the hype about Kongo is. Evensen, Al Turk and Hardonk are hardly top competition. Velasquez should win this in dominant fashion.

by cauliflower_ears on May 21, 2009 12:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

kelvin

all valid points. kongo has a nice win streak going (hardonk is no can) and herring got creamed in his last fight. hering showed in the irish fag obrien fight, that he can be taken down quite easily by a good wrestler and kongo has better striking. should tell us all we need to know about cain.

by bdw on May 21, 2009 2:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bet the farm lol…

All good points.

Bloody hell.

by 3PA on May 21, 2009 2:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If it stays standing up..

the fight is Kongo’s. However, I see Velasquez getting an easy double, taking him down and ground and pounding one out. I think Velasquez is a bad match up for Kongo.

...some call me "el mexicutioner"...

by _Felix_ on May 21, 2009 8:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think Velasquez will do better in the stand-up than many predict. At least as far as clinchwork and dirty boxing is concerned.

Bloody hell.

by 3PA on May 21, 2009 8:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Even if the fight remains standing, Velasquez will do a lot of damage in the clinch. Of course, the serial nut-kneer that Kongo is, Velasquez would be better off avoiding that altogether.

You can have the greatest takedown defense of all time but when a high caliber heavyweight takes you down, you’re doing down. Kongo’s guard is non existent. And Cain is more than capable of holding him down for most of the round.

Herring would have been a tougher fight stylistically. This on the other hand is tailor made for Cain.

by cauliflower_ears on May 21, 2009 8:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This is the thing: even though Kongo might have a more “dangerous” skill-set, Herring means trouble for alot of guys because HE WON’T GO DOWN. He’s better than an oppressed wife in an abusive relationship at taking punishment and as long as he draws breath he’ll keep coming at ya.

Bloody hell.

by 3PA on May 21, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ha. nice analogy right there.

This fight is a little puzzling to me. After the Evensen, Al Turk and Hardonk fights, I thought the UFC were building up Kongo for a title shot (or a “teetle shot” if you’re French).

If he loses to Cain (which is more than just a possibility), it puts a spanner in the works doesn’t it? He could go from contender to irrelevant rather quickly.

by cauliflower_ears on May 21, 2009 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

oh and just to add, Cain has lesser to lose from this fight. If he wins, he would be set to face Carwin. If he loses, it won’t be the end of the world for him either.

If Kongo loses, I see the UFC feeding him to Junior dos Santos.

by cauliflower_ears on May 21, 2009 9:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I respectfully disagree :)

http://www.mmaforreal.com

by Kelvin Hunt on May 21, 2009 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Cain is a great talent and a future champion, but this may be more than he can handle. I mean, he went to the second round against Denis Stojnic for chrissakes…

While it certainly wasn’t the Cro Cop of old, Kongo did get the better of him and has been in the cage with some better competition than Cain and that can make a difference.

This is a guy that Cain won’t be able to simply out-wrestle to gain dominant position and pound out a win; he’s in for a serious fight and we’re the main beneficiaries.

by E. Spencer Kyte on May 21, 2009 9:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Stojnic is a tough dude – hard for anyone to finish.

Personally I think Kongo is overrated, I think he would lose to alot of undersized 205:ers turned heavyweights on speed alone.

Bloody hell.

by 3PA on May 21, 2009 9:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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