UFC Live: Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry, a Head to Toe Breakdown

Pat Barry and Cheick Kongo will meet this Sunday and UFC Live: Marquardt vs Story, and it's a big fight for both competitors.

Kongo has been with the UFC for five years now and has put together a solid record of 8-4-1. However, Cheick has consistently come up short against high level opponents and, as a result, has earned himself the unofficial position as the heavyweight gatekeeper.

If Kongo can beat Barry in devastating fashion, he could earn himself another shot against one the division's elite. At the same time, a loss for Cheick would be devastating and would likely put him at the very back of the line for a shot at the title.

A win for Pat would prove to the UFC that he is ready for some higher level competition. The most significant opponent Barry has faced in the UFC was Mirko Filipovic and Barry couldn't pull out the win, losing by third-round submission.

Barry will be looking to prove that the loss to Mirko wasn't an accurate representation of what he can do inside the Octagon.

Let's take a look at how these two stack up...

Experience

This one is a no-brainer; Cheick is the more experienced fighter.

Kongo has more fights in the UFC than Pat Barry has in his entire career.

Cheick has also faced off against legitimately elite opponents. Barry has not.

Edge: Cheick Kongo

Cardio

This one is tough to call.

Neither men are really known for pushing the pace, so I'm not expecting cardio to be a huge factor.

That being said, Cheick usually weighs in at a muscular 230 lbs. (roughly), whereas Barry weighs in at a slightly pudgy 250 lbs.

Kongo's slimmer frame, combined with the fact that he's been to decision more times than Barry, will likely give him the edge in cardio.

Edge: Cheick Kongo

Striking

This is easily the most significant slide.

Both of these men are known as primarily kick boxers and everyone is expecting this fight to be a standup war. So, whoever has the best striking will probably win the fight.

Barry is known for having the most devastating leg kicks in the heavyweight division. He has five wins by knockout in his career and three have come via leg kicks.

Both guys have competed in kick boxing, with Kongo having the more impressive record.

However, I don't think that necessarily means that Cheick will have the striking advantage. It's been sometime since Kongo competed as a kick boxer and his striking hasn't looked as good in recent fights as it has in the past. At 36 years old, I think Kongo's skills are starting to decline.

Barry's striking has looked consistently good in the UFC, with the exception of choking in his fight with Mirko and, at 31 years old, Barry is in his prime.

This one is very close, but I think if Barry can slow Kongo down with some big leg kicks early in the fight, I think he'll have the advantage.

Edge: Pat Barry

Chin

Both of these fighters have good chins.

Cheick Kongo has been stopped by strikes only once in his MMA career by Gilbert Yvel and it was more due to him gassing than anything else.

Barry has never been stopped by strikes in his MMA career and was TKO'd only once as a kick boxer. The TKO came via cut.

Cheick and Pat can both take a really good shot, but if I had say one had the better chin, I would go with Barry.

Edge: Pat Barry

Grappling

This is where analyzing these two fighters starts to become depressing.

Cheick Kongo and Pat Barry are both awful grapplers.

Neither one had any wrestling experience before entering MMA and neither one has done a very good job of incorporating it into their arsenal.

The only significant factor here is that I think Cheick will be the more physically strong competitor.

If Kongo decides to try and take this fight to the ground, he will probably be able to do it, but he'll likely soften Barry up with some knees to the groin first.

Edge: Cheick Kongo

Submission

And it gets more depressing, still.

Kongo has been competing as a mixed martial artist for ten years and is only a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He does have three wins by submission, but two of them were a very long time ago. His most recent submission victory came by strikes.

Pat is not ranked in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and has never won a fight by submission. He lost to Mirko Cro Cop by rear naked choke. Losing to Cro Cop by submission already says something about a fighters' ground game, given that Mirko is known as a striker, but it's even worse when you look at the fact that Mirko didn't even have hooks in when he got the choke.

Both of them are terrible submission artists, but...

Edge: Cheick Kongo

Winner?

This is a very tough fight to call.

If it stays a stand up battle, I think Barry will have the edge. He's going to need to utilize his footwork and make sure the circle away from Kongo and not move straight back. He needs to use his kicks, but be careful with them because he doesn't want to open himself up to the takedown. If Barry can avoid clinching with Kongo, he has a very good chance in this one.

I think Cheick's best chance is actually on the ground. Both of these guys are novices on the ground (at best), but Kongo is the better of the two. That being said, Cheick won't be a fish out of water if the fight stays standing and there is the possibility he could knock Barry out.

Kongo has looked pretty unimpressive in his last few fights and I think Barry is the hungrier of the two fighters, but this one will be close.

Winner: Pat Barry via Split Decision