A full Arena for MMA in France. More than two years after the discipline was legalized in January 2020, after having suffered sanitary gauges due to the Covid-19 pandemic in October 2020, Bellator, the second largest organization in MMA after the UFC, has made its return for a season 2 in Paris, Friday. At the top of the bill, a fight for the heavyweight belt, between the pretender Cheick Kongo (46 years old, 31 wins, 12 losses, 2 draws, 1 No Contest) and the American holder, Ryan Bader (38 years old, 31 – 7, 1NC).
Romero makes the show
Before the quasi-jubilee of a French MMA legend, who has not yet decided to hang up his mitts, the former UFC star, the Cuban Yoel Romero (45 years old, 13 – 6), was doing the show in light heavyweight against Alex Polizzi (30, 10-1). The vice-Olympic wrestling champion in 2000 in Sydney won his first Bellator victory by dominating Polizzi by TKO at the very end of the third round. With his signature guard style, forearms forward at face level, George Foreman style, Romero let his power speak to repeatedly ring the American. Carried by the Parisian public who chanted his name, the Cuban accelerated in the last two rounds, asking for the support of the spectators, standing to salute his victory.
Cheick Kongo was also widely supported by the public. And largely dominated by the struggle of Ryan Bader from the first round. The Frenchman looked hopeless, with the American plunging into his legs at the first opportunity. Manhandled at the very start of the second round by the Frenchman’s striking, Bader dived again to take control of his opponent, to the boos of the Parisians, criticizing the defending champion’s waiting and control strategy.
Kongo suffocated by Bader’s struggle
Immobilizing his opponent against the cage, Bader was doing his wrestling job, as expected, and as announced at The Team : “Of course, the key to the fight will be the fight, my ability to control its power with my grappling skills”. Kongo was expecting it, of course. He was unable to annihilate Bader’s struggle, however, and continued to suffer.
Five almost identical rounds, which disappointed Bercy, and which especially saw a suffocated Kongo, caught in the pincers of the opposing arms. A jolt in the middle of the 3rd round did not change the face of the fight: two low-kicks, two good rear arms did not hinder the champion’s forward march. Who recited his score again in the 4th and 5th rounds. The French bowed logically and missed the dream of an end of career in apotheosis. His chance for a title, in the second most prestigious organization in MMA, vanished in the Parisian night.
Cheick Kongo was dominated by Ryan Bader throughout the fight. (The Team)
At the end of the 25 minutes, Bader, exhausted, sat down on the canvas, without bothering to raise his arms. Kongo, resigned, raised one to greet the crowd, in a gesture that looked like an apology. A one-sided fight and a unanimous and final decision in favor of the champion (50-45 x 3).
« He’s a very solid fighter, very hard to move, but my fight made the difference tonight », commented, unsurprisingly, Ryan Bader. For Cheick Kongo, already present in 2020 in the main event for Bellator’s first appearance in Paris (beaten by decision by Tim Johnson), season 2 has the same bitter taste of defeat.
The French in the spotlight
A little earlier in the evening, some French fighters stood out. Lucie Bertaud (4-3), for the only female fight of the meeting, won by unanimous decision against the Polish Katarzyna Sadura (5-5). The former Koh-Lanta finalist wondered about the follow-up to her career before the fight which could be her last. “I am lucky to realize my dream. I always wanted to fight at Bercy. I’ve been doing this since I was 15, I’m at the end of my career. I will make my decision after the fight”explained Bertaud.
Thibault Gouti (35, 16-5) won by unanimous decision against Welshman Lewis Long (19-7); Yves Landu (35, 17-9) beat England’s Gavin Hugues (10-3) by first-round TKO; Grégory Babene (38, 22-11) slammed a K.-O. in the first round against the Englishman Mike Shipman (14 – 4) and Davy Gallon (31 years old, 21 – 7 – 2) won by TKO in the 2nd round against the Swiss Benjamin Brander (13 – 9).
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