Just past his two-decade mark as a professional mixed martial artist, Cheick Kongo doesn’t feel the respect he thinks he deserves ahead of his Bellator 265 headliner this Friday.

Kongo’s gripes with the promotion – and seemingly MMA as a whole – extend past a few simple bullet points, but certain issues rise above the rest.

“At this point, I say to myself, it’s just a competition,” Kongo told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I just want to finish properly. … The promotion has just been a bullsh*tter. The thing is you have to promote the event. For sure you have to promote or talk what’s next for others.

“Just to be honest, there’s nothing great in the business when people become metaphorical. When you say something, you’d do it. When you have some mess, you fix it. That’s it. That’s what it is with this business. But it seems like it doesn’t work that way in Bellator. Unfortunately, that’s a big shame because I used to face those issues for years and years and years and I keep facing that today. To me, it’s a proof of big disrespect. The fighters make the show.”

For one, Kongo (30-11-2 MMA, 12-3 BMMA) has not competed since October 2020. His previous fight before that one was in September 2019. For a fighter in the twilight of his career, Kongo expresses interest in activity – but indicated the feeling wasn’t reciprocated by the promotion.

“Sometimes, we get shut up,” Kongo said. “Not everybody understands or pays attention. Why do I have to fight every eight months or a year? That’s a question. Some guys are fighting every four months (or) less than that. That’s because of what? What would be the reply? Nobody knows.”

More than anything, however, Kongo thinks he’s been passed over for opportunities he’s earned. From not getting an immediate rematch against Ryan Bader for a title fight that ended in an eye poke, to Bellator going in a different direction for Fedor Emelianenko’s return, Kongo is sick of what he sees as smoke and mirrors in the final chapter of his career.

“I wasn’t injured,” Kongo said. “I was ready for it. But they didn’t pick me for it. They picked somebody else for it, lower than me. I’m not the guys doing the show, but as one of the action figures, I (have) to say, ‘What is this?’”

“… They had the ability to make it, but why did they give (Emelianenko) Timothy Johnson? I have big respect for Timothy, but why? Why? You know what I mean? Why? Everything is a plan. They already planned the business. They want to advertise people and blah, blah, blah. All those guys I have nothing to do with, but it’s not fair. As I said, it’s not fair.”

Bellator 265 takes place Friday at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. Kongo headlines against Sergei Kharitonov. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.