Cheick Kongo on tumultuous timeline leading into Ryan Bader title rematch at Bellator 280

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Cheick Kongo contends for Ryan Bader‘s heavyweight title in a rematch that serves as the main event of Bellator 280 on Friday, May 6th. This fight transpires at Accor Arena in Paris, France.

I spoke with Kongo at the virtual media day ahead of another Bellator title bid. Excerpts from our interaction can be found below.

Cheick Kongo

Not being too sure if he would secure another title shot when we spoke ahead of the Sergei Kharitonov fight and the at times frustrating series of events to get here-

“It’s better. I still have a bitter taste, but it’s good. I’m good, finally we make it. I didn’t have to use that long road to give more activities. So it was a really good opportunity to be here today. I was waiting for that moment. So I have to give the best. Today, I don’t have anything to prove. Just try to do the work as I used to do and that’s it.”

The bad blood with Bader after the first fight but moving on from that for the rematch-

“It’s always been a competition. The thing is, I let the trash talking and whatever, the bad blood on the side. But it wasn’t bad blood… He didn’t do very well on the first one and he was claiming ‘oh I didn’t do anything’. See, see, see, blah, blah, blah. Then recently he used to assume ‘oh I probably did it but if I did, it was an accident’. It wasn’t on purpose… He was the only one to be here about what he did. You never hear me saying anything like that.”

“Just talking about what happened during the fight except on my social network. So for sure, nobody used to believe or think about things like that could happen. Because he has for sure more fan base than me and all stupid people. Talking shit all the time. But yeah, it was just frustrating. I was a big guy. I’m not fighting only in the cage. Life is a fight… I didn’t pay attention. Just keep doing what I have to do and that’s it. I won’t keep any stuff annoying me or bothering me. But for sure today, it’s better.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbe9nKO-Re4

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