UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen


Big Country Looks To Knock Out Kongo Before The Final Bell At UFC 159

UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnnen. The UFC has done an excellent job of putting together another stacked card that is very deep, and that means fans will be on their feet well before the championship main event. One of the more underrated fights of the night will be a heavyweight bout between Roy “Big Country” Nelson and Cheick Kongo, a couple of UFC veterans that aren’t likely to make it to the final bell.

  • UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen
  • (18-7-0) Roy Nelson vs. Cheick Kongo (18-7-0)
  • Saturday April 27, 2013
  • Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
  • UFC Sportsbook Line: Nelson – 230

Nelson hasn’t been knocked out since 2008, but he brings heavy fists to the Octagon and takes the position of either scoring a knockout or being knocked out. Each of Nelson’s last nine wins have come via knockout, so there really doesn’t appear to be an alternative for the massive heavyweight.

UFC Betting Preview: Roy Nelson

While he surely doesn’t get any style points for it, some of the same people that draft the lines  feel that Nelson should have his beard shaved in order to prevent him from having somewhat of a protective barrier on his chin. Nelson will take any advantage he can get, and while he doesn’t look like the prototypical MMA fighter, his style and skills have brought him pretty far to this point. Nelson’s heavy hands are his best weapon, but he can also be extremely deceptive with his speed and will try to dictate the pace of the bout from the very outset.

UFC Betting Preview: Cheick Kongo

Kongo was the victim of a first-round knockout in his last loss to Mark Hunt, but the veteran fighter bounced back strong with a win over Shawn Jordan in his last appearance and understands exactly what he is getting in to in this fight. Kongo has won three of his last four including a first-round knockout win of his own over Pat Barry, and considering that 10 of his 18-career wins have come via knockout there really is no doubt that he can throw some big blows as well. The key for Kongo will be patience, as he looks to pick his spots and tire out Nelson without risking a knockout blow.

UFC Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

As dominant as Nelson has been in some of his recent fights, he is going up against a smart veteran fighter that understands how important it is to pick his spots and not get caught by one of Big Country’s heavy hands. Kongo has the skill and speed to be able to get in and out of his spots without taking too much punishment, so look for him to make this fight as boring as possible and try to escape with the decision. Fans will be cheering for the Nelson knockout since that will be more exciting, but the longer this fight goes on the more it shifts in favor of the more athletic Kongo.

UFC Betting Pick: Cheick Kongo + 180

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