The Bellator, an American firm known worldwide in MMA (mixed martial arts), had made it one of its headliners for its Parisian gala. Cheick Kongo, a 45-year-old French fighter, was on Saturday evening the attraction of the first international event in France of this martial art from the United States, where kicks, punches, knees and elbows, as well as that ground strikes are allowed in this octagon-shaped ring.
An evening organized as a real “American” show, despite the health restrictions limiting the AccorHotels Arena in Bercy (Paris 12th) to an audience of 1000 spectators. Fans all or almost all won the cause of veteran Cheick Guillaume Ouedraogo, his real name. The cousin of rugby player Fulgence, MMA star crowned with a flattering record of 30 victories in 42 fights so far (for 10 defeats and 2 no-contests, fights stopped without a decision), would probably have liked to conclude the explosive event in style. of a discipline still banned last January in France.
VIDEO. We attended the first MMA gala in France
But by decision of the judges at the end of three rounds of five minutes, one of the pioneers of French MMA, born in Asnières (Hauts-de-Seine) and who grew up in Sevran in Seine-Saint-Denis, had to s’ bow to American Timothy Johnson (35 years old, 15 wins and 6 defeats now). Lacking at the same time to secure the belt of the heavyweight champion of Bellator, the second largest organization of its kind behind the juggernaut UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).
The star of this unprecedented evening in France could not hide his disappointment at the end of a locked fight. “I’m sorry for this loss… But I still have things to do with the Bellator. I’ll come back one last time, ”promised the 1.93 m tall for 108 kg to“ his ”crowd.
That’s good, the president of Bellator, Scott Coker, blew into the spans of the Arena that he wanted to organize “before next summer” a new major event in France, in Marseille (Bouches-du- Rhône). Perhaps the opportunity to see Kongo’s ultimate fight there.
