Ryan Bader vs Cheick Kongo 2: Preview, How to watch and Betting odds at Bellator 280

Bellator heavyweight champion, Ryan Bader is in Paris for Bader vs Kongo II after their first match at Bellator 226 was ruled a no contest. Frenchman Cheick Kongo, ranked No. 2 heavyweight in the promotion is hoping to dethrone Ryan Bader in the French capital. The first match ended after an accidental eye poke by the American champion rendered Kongo incapable of continuing the match.

After a successful defence of his title in January 2022 against Valentin Madavsky, Bader is in the fashion capital to complete his business against Kongo on the main card of Bellator 280. At Bellator 214, Bader became a champion in two weight divisions simultaneously when he defeated Fedor Emelianenko after 35 seconds to add the vacant Bellator heavyweight championship to his light heavyweight belt. The 40-year-old is ranked number 6 in the Bellator men’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Check Kongo is a veteran mixed martial artist and at 48 years old, he has amassed the most wins in Bellator history with 13 victories and the most fights in the promotion with 17 bouts. Kongo has 31 victories in 44 fights and started training in MMA at five years old. He is a solid heavyweight fighter. In his last match in August 2021, he defeated Sergei Kharitonov at Bellator 265 with a rear-naked choke in the second round.

• Venue: Accor Arena in Paris
• Date: Friday, May 6
• Main card: 9 p.m. BST
• Main event ringwalks (approx): 11 p.m. BST

• U.S.: Showtime
• UK: BBC iPlayer

• Date of Birth: June 7, 1983
• Height: 6' 2"
• Reach: 74"
• Total Fights: 36
• Record: 29-7-0

• Date of Birth: May 17, 1975
• Height: 6' 4"
• Reach: 84"
• Total Fights: 44
• Record: 31-11-2

Ryan Bader to win is set at 1.25. A win for Cheick Kongo is priced at 4.10 while a draw goes for 37.

For those looking for overs: 1.5 will cost 1.55 while over 2.5 rounds is priced at 1.74.

Odds from 1Xbet, 22Bet and Bet365. Check them for more options on the exciting fight.