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UFC 99: Cain Velasquez takes on Cheik Kongo

UFC heavyweight Cheik Kongo has stepped up to replace the injured Heath Herring against Cain Velasquez at UFC 99 in Cologne, Germany on June 13. Velasquez is the hot prospect in the UFC now, and is currently 5-0.

Kongo is hot off the heels of a TKO victory over Dutch kickboxer Antoni Hardonk at UFC 97, giving Haronk his first and only TKO loss. The win was Kongo’s fifth in his last six bouts, with his lone defeat coming ironically at the hands of the man he replaced, Heath Herring.

Velasquez most recently put the boots to Denis Stojnic at UFC fight night 17, taking him out by TKO. Velasquez is part of the new breed of ultra big, ultra fast, ultra athletic heavyweights. Think Brock Lesnar, Bobby Lashley. This will be Cain’s biggest test, and Kongo’s biggest test in quite some time.

Soon after word spread that former UFC Champion Quinton Jackson had parted ways with his old camp and joined the WolfsLair Academy in the UK, heavyweight Cheick Kongo has also joined the academy.

Kongo has signed on for training and management, just like his buddy Jackson. The two trained together along with Michael Bisping, and have become close friends.

Kongo was having problems negotiating his new contract with the UFC and was looking for a place to train, so Wolfslair was a natural choice. The Wolfslair group is on good terms with the UFC, and his buddies were on board as well.

On a side note, Wolfslair co-owner Anthony McGann confirmed that Kongo had been close to a fight with Brock Lesnar for UFC 91, but things fell apart when Randy Couture stepped back into the picture. It would seem like a bit of a step down for Lesnar, despite his infancy in the sport. The guy is a huge draw, has main-evented twice already, and just beat the guy that last beat Kongo. Anywho, there’s no word on Kongo’s next opponent, or when he will fight.