Tweet
Cheick Kongo appeared to be out on his feet -- until he put Patrick Barry to sleep with a short right uppercut.
In what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most improbable comebacks in mixed martial arts history, Kongo survived nearly being stopped and flattened Barry with one punch in the UFC Live 4 main event on Sunday at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. The dramatic finish came 2:39 into the opening round. Barry lay unconscious on the mat, his right leg bent beside him, his open eyes staring blankly into space.
?It was perfect,? Kongo said, pointing to the uppercut that ended it.
The two heavyweights traded heavy leg kicks from the start, with Barry controlling the center of the cage and backing Kongo (16-6-2, 9-4-1 UFC) into the fence. He cracked the Frenchman with a sizzling overhand right that dropped Kongo where he stood and swarmed to finish. Referee Dan Miragliotta appeared close to stopping it and even made brief contact with the two fighters, but he gave Kongo, a proven 24-fight veteran, the benefit of the doubt.
With his back to the cage, a still wobbly Kongo unleashed a right hook that knocked Barry (6-3, 3-3 UFC) off balance, planted himself and followed it with the uppercut. Kongo trailed his unconscious opponent to the mat and landed a few hammerfists before Miragliotta called him off.
?I had to win this fight,? Kongo said. ?I?m really happy.?
In what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most improbable comebacks in mixed martial arts history, Kongo survived nearly being stopped and flattened Barry with one punch in the UFC Live 4 main event on Sunday at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. The dramatic finish came 2:39 into the opening round. Barry lay unconscious on the mat, his right leg bent beside him, his open eyes staring blankly into space.
?It was perfect,? Kongo said, pointing to the uppercut that ended it.
The two heavyweights traded heavy leg kicks from the start, with Barry controlling the center of the cage and backing Kongo (16-6-2, 9-4-1 UFC) into the fence. He cracked the Frenchman with a sizzling overhand right that dropped Kongo where he stood and swarmed to finish. Referee Dan Miragliotta appeared close to stopping it and even made brief contact with the two fighters, but he gave Kongo, a proven 24-fight veteran, the benefit of the doubt.
With his back to the cage, a still wobbly Kongo unleashed a right hook that knocked Barry (6-3, 3-3 UFC) off balance, planted himself and followed it with the uppercut. Kongo trailed his unconscious opponent to the mat and landed a few hammerfists before Miragliotta called him off.
?I had to win this fight,? Kongo said. ?I?m really happy.?
Attached Files
Comment