Cheick Kongo: Deserving of a Title Shot? I Don't Think So

After finishing off a game opponent in Antoni Hardonk with strikes in the second round, people are asking the usual questions.  Is Cheick Kongo now deserving of a UFC title shot?

I don’t think so.

While this might have been Kongo’s third straight win, and a pretty impressive performance over a tough competitor and world-class kick boxer in Hardonk, it’s hardly anything to jump for joy about.

Sure, Hardonk is a very good kick boxer with some of the most brutal leg kicks in MMA, but that’s really all he is. And no offense to him but he’s far from being considered a top heavyweight in the UFC.

I don’t think that Kongo's win should put him in line for a title shot after Mir and Lesnar unify the belts in July.  Kongo needs a win over a top-tier UFC heavyweight in order to even be considered for a title shot any time soon.

Sure, one can argue that the current UFC heavyweight champion—Brock Lesnar—was a lot less deserving of his title shot when he got it.  Even though he only went 1-1 in the octagon, he was still granted a shot against Randy Couture and eventually took the title from “Captain America” back in November.

The difference with Lesnar is that from a business standpoint, Lesnar is a marketing machine and the biggest pay-per-view draw that the UFC has today. While Kongo is definitely a marketable guy, he’s nowhere near being as big of a draw as Lesnar is.

Plus, I don’t even really think that Kongo is as good as he is made out to be. I’m not saying he’s not a good fighter—he is one of the top heavyweights in the UFC—but I don’t think he would be able to defeat the elite fighters of the heavyweight division at this point in his career.  

He definitely has a very bright future ahead of him, but right now he would get submitted pretty quickly if he fought a guy like Frank Mir.

Kongo is a good striker, but his ground game is in desperate need of improvement if he plans on becoming the champ in the near future. With a world class jiu-jitsu specialist in Mir and an overwhelmingly strong wrestler in Lesnar at the top of the heap right now, Kongo would be like a fish out of water if he was taken to the ground by fighters of that caliber.

Kongo has very weak jiu-jitsu skills and even though he’s a very powerful guy physically, his wrestling skills are mediocre at best.

I know many feel like Kongo is ready after winning three fights in a row, but he really hasn’t beaten any of the premier fighters in the division yet. His biggest win was against a washed up Mirko Cro-Cop at UFC 75, but he then followed that up with a loss to Heath Herring, of all people, at UFC 82. Herring is not much of a ground fighter but even he dominated Kongo on the ground and ended up winning by split decision.

Kongo has gone unbeaten with three straight TKO victories since the loss to Herring, defeating Dan Evenson, Mustapha al Turk, and now Antoni Hardonk. While that might seem impressive to a casual observer, I am more impressed with rising star Shane Carwin.  

Carwin recently knocked out top contender Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 86, upping his record to 11-0—with all 11 of those fights being first round finishes.

In addition to Carwin, there are other up-and-coming UFC heavyweights like Junior Dos Santos—who burst onto the scene by knocking out a world class heavyweight in Fabricio Werdum—and undefeated prospect Cain Velasquez. Velasquez has looked impressive and dominant with his heavy hands and overwhelming wrestling base.

I’d much rather see Kongo fight one of those guys first. If he manages to secure another victory, then maybe he should be considered for a title shot. Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy and I think he has a bright future ahead of him. I just don’t think he’s ready for a title shot, nor is he deserving of one at this point in his career.

Not yet.