Round two saw both fighters finally push the action a bit more but Kongo continued to circle away. Mitrione was unable to cut off the cage and didn’t land much. He was the aggressor and pushed the fight. Kongo found success with his leg kicks.
The final round was when Cheick Kongo finally unloaded. Two big takedowns and some ground and pound turned this into a dominant and clear win for the Frenchman. He damaged Mitrione’s face, opening up a cut underneath the left eye of the former Purdue Bowlermaker.
Kongo continues his role as the UFC’s heavyweight gatekeeper. He’s able to defeat prospects but has difficulty with the established names of the division. For Matt Mitrione the fight should be seen as a learning experience. He took a big step up in competition and was shown that he still has massive holes in his MMA game.