Matt Mitrione On Tyrell Fortune: ‘I’m Gonna Punch Him In His Face’
Matt Mitrione, a staple of heavyweight MMA since 2009, is set to face off against Tyrell Fortune at Bellator 255.
‘Meathead’ is looking to start 2021 with a bang, and instantly put the heavyweight division back on watch. However, he is aware of how dangerous an opponent Fortune will be.
Mitrione recently sat down with LowKick MMA’s Frank Bonada to talk all things Bellator 255 and beyond.
On the topic of Tyrell Fortune as an opponent, Mitrione has first-hand experience of how dangerous the wrestler can be. The two fighters have previously trained together, and whilst there is no bad blood between the two, Mitrione is still going into the fight with bad intention. He stated the following about Fortune:
“He’s a very accomplished wrestler. He’s very capable as far as getting people to the ground, holding on to them. I think that he’s athletic. I think that he’s always succeeded in sports, so all he knows is success. So I think he’ll be a game opponent and it should be an interesting competition.
“I’ve been training with Tyrell for many years. So I know Tyrell fairly well, he knows me fairly well. I figured that by the time he came to the point of his name recognition fighting me that I would be on my way out of Bellator.”
“I don’t think I’m gonna surprise anybody when I tell you I’m gonna punch him in his face. And he’s going to do his best to avoid that. Get me by my hips, hold me down. I think what he’s gonna do is very similar to what (Ryan) Bader did right. Bader’s game plan is the way to beat me. So I know he’s living in Arizona, he’s probably training with Bader.
One of the major headlines regarding Bellator in 2021 is that of the implementation of a ranking system in each division. This has been something long cried out for by many fight fans. However, Mitrione does quite feel the same way. He stated the following:
“I’m not even trying to be sarky or an a*****e here. I don’t know and I don’t care. I don’t put any credence in rankings whatsoever, I think that they’re arbitrarily picked.“
“At least from the existing rankings in the other promotion (UFC), they mean literally nothing. It’s literally whoever they want, they put them in. If they want to publicise them or promote them, that’s what they do, they put them higher. If they want to punish them, they take them out. It doesn’t matter at all. And for me, I genuinely, honestly, could not care less.”
