When Cheick Kongo was excluded from Bellator’s heavyweight grand prix – a bracket that featured a few natural light heavyweights – many believed that his penchant for less-than-thrilling performances was a factor.
The way things are going now, it’s getting more and more difficult to deny the 43-year-old Frenchman his shot at Bellator gold. Kongo earned his second consecutive first-round knockout at Bellator 208 on Saturday, as he polished off fellow UFC veteran Timothy Johnson in just 68 seconds. That win comes on the heels of a 2:29 stoppage of Javy Ayala at Bellator 199 in May.