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.

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September 24th, 2008     14 Comments

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14 Comments »

Comment by chefdaddy
2008-09-24 08:15:36

While I’m never big on names or nationalities myself, I wonder who the troops will root for: a guy with a name like Mustafa or a French guy? That is simply said in response to previous posts on this. Hopefully they will simply cheer a good fight.

Comment by DirtyML
2008-09-24 08:34:09

It’s UFC 92 not the For the Troops one.

Comment by chefdaddy
2008-09-24 10:04:07

whoops. thanks,lol please ignore above post.

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Comment by hughes
2008-09-24 08:37:21

255 pound champion?

Comment by your mutha
2008-09-24 08:44:52

sounds like forrest let himself go a bit after he won the title…

 
 
Comment by "Mr. NC-17"
2008-09-24 08:49:30

I like this match-up a lot better for Al-Turk.

Comment by john
2008-09-24 09:30:02

yeah, same here. I am a fan of Cheiks, but I still not sure if he can beat anyone with a decent ground game. Turk will answer that question.

Comment by sinister
2008-09-24 10:13:14

if Turk wins then this is just ANOTHER young talented heavyweight the UFC has acquired. carwin, lesnar, cain, the ufc is rackin up hw’s. i like kongo a little bit, but i find myself going for turk. maybe its the picture that makes me want kongo to lose.

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Comment by Brandon
2008-09-24 15:07:49

UFC heavyweight division blows

 
Comment by wAyNe
2008-09-24 16:18:23

Couture, Lesnar, Mir, Nog, Carwin, Gonzaga, Werdum, Velasquez, Liddell (jk), Herring, Congo. These are just off the top of my head. Not the deepest division but getting better. Wouldn’t say it blows. Oh and Hardonk. He’s better than he gets credit for. Not elite but a good fighter. Not a lot of HW fighters out there period. Not like there’s a ton of elite level HW’s just floating around.

 
 
 
 
Comment by belfort_fan
2008-09-24 11:31:24

I will be rooting for Mustafa in this one. he’s aan amazing striker.

Comment by enzo-enormous
2008-09-24 16:13:35

Agreed. I will rot for him too. Plus, I don’t like Kongo.

 
 
Comment by mo
2008-09-24 16:15:38

im the opposite i love cheik i think he has everything to cause all fighters a problem, all be it he hasnt always done that!

Comment by YouAint_NoDaisy
2008-09-24 16:52:28

I guerantee Turk wins by KO.

 
 
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