Cheick Kongo Turned Down Fight Against Daniel Cormier on Short Notice; Wants Stefan Struve

UFC president Dana White recently revealed that heavyweight Cheick Kongo had turned down two separate fights offered by the promotion.

Just last week, Kongo was offered to step in on short notice to face Roy Nelson at The Ultimate Fighter finale in December when original opponent Shane Carwin was forced out of the fight due to injury.

The other fight had never been revealed until Tuesday when Kongo let the cat out of the bag when responding to a fan via Twitter.

According to the French heavyweight, the other fight he was offered, again on short notice, was a bout against Daniel Cormier in Strikeforce.

When asked by a fan who Kongo declined to fight, he responded, “Cormier, short notice”.

Cormier lost his original opponent, Frank Mir, due to injury for a scheduled fight card on Nov. 3 in Oklahoma City. When a suitable replacement couldn’t be found, and other bouts were also scrapped due to injury, the entire card had to be cancelled.

Kongo has stood by his decision to turn down the fights stating, “I did not refuse to fight Roy Nelson. I refused to take a fight on short notice, which is not the same at all.”

White doesn’t necessarily agree with Kongo when talking about fighters stepping up on short notice when the promotion needs them.

“It’s a lot more normal with guys who are worried about losing. Guys who are in a position where if they lose, you know what I mean? You’re either fighters or you’re not. If you win, you win, if you lose, back to the drawing board,” said White.

“That’s the business you’re in. When you turn down a fight, you turn down a fight, and that’s two in a row (for Kongo). I don’t know who he’s waiting for.”

For his part, Kongo has worked to do a little of his own matchmaking with fellow heavyweight Stefan Struve, as they discussed fighting one another via Twitter on Tuesday, but no offer has been made yet by the UFC for the fight to actually come to fruition.

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