Cheick Kongo (12-4-1) and Octagon newcomer Mustafa Al-Turk (6-3) will likely meet in a heavyweight match up at UFC 92 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on December 27.
The New Year’s Eve weekend showdown was booked after different fights for both competitors recently fell through -- Kongo was penciled in to face Brock Lesnar at UFC 91 before the return of Randy Couture and Turk was set to meet Cain Velasquez at UFC Fight Night 16 before a fresh knee injury sidelined the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) prospect.
Kongo -- who often flirts with emerging as a top contender -- recently defeated Dan Evensen via technical knockout (strikes) in the first round at UFC 87: "Seek and Destroy" last month.
It was his fourth win within the eight-sided cage for the Parisian against two losses. He holds notable wins over Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic and Assuerio Silva, as well as a damaging split decision loss to Heath Herring earlier this year.
Kongo recently joined Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Michael Bisping and others who train at the Wolfslair MMA Academy in the United Kingdom.
Al-Turk — who fights out of the famous London Shoot gym in the United Kingdom — reportedly just signed a four-fight contract to fight for the UFC after a successful run in Europe on the Cage Rage circuit. In fact, he has six wins in seven attempts for the promotion and is riding a two-fight win streak.
He is a pretty well-rounded fighter with serviceable boxing and solid grappling skills -– good enough to earn him the British Cage Rage heavyweight title.
UFC 92 features another heavyweight bout between interim division champion Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira and Frank Mir, as well as a potential light heavyweight clash between 205-pound champion Forrest Griffin and top contender Rashad Evans.
To check out the latest UFC 92 fight card and rumors click here.