Bellator 280: Cheick Kongo Expected Bader Rematch Sooner, But Says There’s No Bad Blood

Cheick Kongo gets another chance — in all honesty, likely his last — to capture heavyweight gold at Bellator 280 this Friday in Paris, France.

The occasion will be Kongo’s second time fighting at home, after the French government legalized MMA in the country a couple of years back. It’s his third time fighting for gold in the company. Kongo (31-11-2, 1NC), at 46, is very much an elder statesman of the sport. He’s running it back with Ryan Bader, after the pair’s first meeting in 2019 resulted in a No Contest.

Despite the stakes being as high as ever, Kongo is trying to see this as just another fight.

“So technically, it’s another fight, and I take this opportunity as a simple bout,” Kongo told Cageside Press during the Bellator 280 media day on Wednesday. But, he added, “for sure I have that, I won’t say pressure, but I have a responsibility to win that one, because it’s for my fellow [countrymen].”

On top of that, Kongo continued by adding “I try to take revenge for my last fight here in Paris, it didn’t go very well.” Kongo lost his French debut against Tim Johnson, a fight many saw “The Darkness” as the favorite in. “And the third part will be the title. It will be great as well, for French people to have the belt at home, and claim France is a really good [country] for MMA.”

Kongo admitted Wednesday that he expected the rematch to come sooner. “Honestly I was expecting to do the fight [against Bader] again pretty quick, the next three or four months. But it took almost three years. It was quite a big deception. I had to keep going no matter what, and enjoy life’s activities.”

Despite the wait, and the controversial nature of their first fight, Kongo insists there’s no bad blood between himself and Ryan Bader. “I don’t have anything against him,” Kongo said, despite a Bader eye poke bringing about the end to their first bout. “Now I can be here and express myself. I have nothing to prove, I just try to do the work that I’m used to. I leave the trash talking and bad blood to one side.”

Fighting in Paris this time out gives Kongo one big benefit come Friday: “Now we have the crowd and we have no excuses to show how great Bellator is here in Paris. That’s going to be one of the big motivations here on Friday.”

Cheick Kongo faces Ryan Bader at Bellator 280 in Paris, France this Friday, May 6, 2022. Check out Kongo’s full media day appearance above. More coverage can be found below.