Filipovic sitting by the cage, painfully holding his groin as he tries to quickly recover from one of Kongo's many illegal groin strikes.
Many thought that Cheick Kongo should have been deducted one or more points for the numerous knee strikes he landed to the groin of Mirko Filipovic. Kongo however won a decision over Filipovic. It later became known that a kick from Kongo had broken Filipovic's rib midway through the second round.
The Fight[]
The first round began. Kongo landed a leg kick. Mirko stalked Kongo. Kongo landed a leg kick. The crowd chanted 'Mirko'. Kongo landed a good knee to the body and an inside leg kick. Kongo landed a body kick. Kongo landed a leg kick. Mirko landed a body kick. Mirko backed Kongo against the cage and Kongo slipped. They clinched. The crowd chanted 'Mirko'. Kongo landed a knee and then another to the legs of Mirko. The referee broke the clinch. Kongo tried a high kick and missed. Mirko tried a head kick. They both tried kicks at the same time and Mirko grabbed the leg and moved to half guard. Mirko dragged him to the cage. Mirko softened Kongo up with punches from the top, and struggled to pass Kongo's guard. Mirko popped the leg out and got the full mount and the crowd roared. Forty seconds remained. Kongo did a good job of not letting Mirko posture up. Kongo reversed and got on top. The round ended. Juanito Ibarra, coach of Rampage Jackson, talked with Kongo in his corner.
The second round began. Kongo tried a leg kick, which Mirko checked. Mirko landed a body kick and then another. Kongo backed Mirko up. Mirko landed a body kick. Mirko landed a body kick. They clinched. Three minutes remained. Kongo landed a knee. Kongo got the takedown. Kongo moved to side control. Kongo threw some short elbows. Three minutes remained. Mirko moved it to half guard and then full guard. Kongo aggressively attempted to pass. Kongo stood and threw an ax kick to the body. He dived back down into the full guard. Mirko shoved Kongo off with his feet. They clinched against the cage now. Fifty seconds remained. Kongo threw a groin shot. Mirko winced and looked at Big John McCarthy for help. Kongo was warned. Thirty seconds remained. Mirko got the underhooks. Big John McCarthy broke the clinch. Ten seconds remained. Mirko looked frustrated while Kongo looked confident. Kongo landed a knee. The second round ended.
The third round began. Mirko tried a high kick. Kongo landed two leg kicks, a good right hand and then they now clinched. Kongo landed repeated knees to the groin. Mirko collapsed against the cage and the referee pulled him off. There was the second and final warning now. The fight restarted. Four minutes remained. Kongo landed a jab and then a high body kick. Kongo chased Mirko around. Kongo landed another pair of body kicks and they clinched. Mirko threw a knee to the body. Kongo threw some knees to the legs. The referee broke the clinch. Mirko tried a spinning back kick. Mirko threw a body kick kind of weakly. Mirko threw a body kick. They both tried kicks at the same time. Two minutes remained. They clinched. Big McCarthy told Kongo to 'keep them down', meaning the knees. Kongo threw some knees to the body now. The referee broke the clinch. Kongo threw a leg kick. Kongo threw a high body kick. One minute now remained. Kongo landed a knee to the face. Mirko landed a body kick. They clinched now against the cage. Thirty-five seconds remained. The fight ended. Kongo walked away with hands raised. Mirko looked disappointed. All three judges scored the contest 29-28, wth the winner by unanimous decision declared as Cheick Kongo. Kongo hugged Mirko, who lacklusterly hugged back before walking off dismissively.