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By: Jason Bent, MMATorch Columnist The first bout of the televised portion of the UFC 92 card looks to be an intriguing one and takes place in the heavyweight division. Cheick Kongo is looking to earn the right to face one of the top heavyweights while beginning to position himself for a title shot, and Mustapha Al-Turk is just looking to prove that he is one of the world's best who belongs in the UFC. By no means is this an amazing match-up, but it is of extreme importance to both men and could very well serve to open the show with a bang and deliver some heavyweight fireworks.
Cheick Kongo sports a 12-4-1 overall record with his record in the UFC standing at an impressive 5-2. His seven wins by KO are impressive, but what is more interesting is the fact that he has only been stopped once in his career with the three other defeats coming at the hands of the scorecards. Kongo is really just one or two wins away from getting a chance to prove himself against one of the top four heavyweights, and not only needs a win but he needs one that makes some sort of statement.
Mustapha Al-Turk has a record of 6-3 with four of these wins coming by way of knockout. He was knocked out in his first fight and submitted in his second before putting it all together and going on to become the Cage Rage Heavyweight Champion. The early losses on his record appear to be due to inexperience, but he is most certainly going to be the inexperienced fighter against Kongo. Al-Turk has signed a 4 fight deal with the UFC and it appears that he is being fed to the wolves in his first outing. Al-Turk has never faced anyone on the level of Kongo and is going to need a career performance if he wishes to make a mark in the suddenly busy UFC heavyweight division.
Al-Turk has decent boxing skills and is quite skilled in the submission game, but I wouldn't say that he is really strong in any one particular area. He is the sort of fighter who is good enough at everything that you would say he belongs in the Octagon, but not special enough that you would favor him to win against most of the top fighters. Mustapha Al-Turk has never faced the type of opponent that he will in Cheick Kongo and we will quickly find out if he can handle it on December 27.
For Kongo to have a chance in this fight he merely has to show up in shape and ready to go. His wrestling skills are good enough to prevent Al-Turk from being able to take him down and allow him to keep this one standing, which plays to his strength in terms of striking ability. Cheick Kongo is a very accurate heavyweight striker who throws everything with bad intentions, and as long as he is capable of finding his target it should be a short night for him.
For Al-Turk to have a chance it is going to take everything he has and then some. There is a possibility that Kongo could come in unmotivated like Fabricio Werdum, but I think this is highly unlikely and that both men should expect the other to be at their very best. Al-Turk is an unknown quantity and should be looking to make a big splash, which makes him a very dangerous opponent for Kongo in that he really doesn't have much to lose. Al-Turk should look to take this one to the ground and try to neutralize the strength of his opponent and keep this one from being a stand up war. Because if this one remains on the feet it will not last very long at all.
Bent's Prediction: Cheick Kongo by KO near the 2:30 mark of Round 1.
I feel that Cheick Kongo is too big, too strong and throws such accurate and deadly shots that he will break the will of Al-Turk in the opening minute or two before breaking him down for good. Mustapha Al-Turk has everything to gain with a victory, but Cheick Kongo cannot afford to lose; and there is no way that I see Kongo letting the Cage Rage import take food off of his table. This one should be fun to watch while it lasts but I don't imagine it will last all that long.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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