Snake Team seeks higher plane with PFC wins

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

UFC heavyweight Cheick Kongo may currently be the most well-known French striker currently competing in MMA, but he doesn't have the corner on the market.

Former EliteXC light-heavyweight Cyrile Diabate (12-6-1) made his presence known with a blood-filled decision win over Jaime Fletcher at "ShoXC: Hamman vs. Suganuma II" in August 2008. Now "The Snake" will look to continue his winning ways against "The Ultimate Fighter" veteran Lodune Sincaid (14-6) at Thursday's "PFC 12: High Stakes" in Lemoore, Calif.

And he's bringing fellow Snake Team fighter Xavier Foupa-Pokam (19-9) with him in their shot at a successful U.S. invasion.

"I was interested in an MMA career because it's getting bigger and bigger," Diabate recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "There's more opportunities for fighters. If I make it over here (in the U.S.), and we make it over here, there's more opportunities for the rest of the team as well. It was a logical step for me to try and hit the American market."

Making his way to the U.S. has been a long process for the 36-year-old Diabate.

"I started off kickboxing at the end of 1991," Diabate said. "I was French amateur champion the first year and then French semi-pro champion the year after that. It just continued from there."

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