Matt Mitrione Not A Fan Of Champion vs. Champion Bouts
Matt Mitrione was last seen in action at Bellator 215, fighting Sergei Kharitonov to a no contest due to an accidental low blow.
If there is one aspect of MMA that Mitrione isn’t a fan of, it would be champion versus champion fights.
“I think about it, right? I’m happy for those individuals,” Mitrione said on The MMA Hour. “But I think that classes are classes, and I think that heavyweights are an animal all amongst themselves. So, I think there can be interdivisional fights, and I think it’s great for the fodder for fantasy stuff. But I don’t think it’s great for that evolution of the sport. I don’t think it is. I think it muddies the waters and I think it negates — for example, if I didn’t lose to Bader, pretty good chance I’ll have a title around my waist for Bellator.”
Mitrione has not competed in any champion versus champion bouts himself, but has hosted a series of champion versus champion fights in the past.
A mix of light heavyweights and heavyweights competed in the Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Grand Prix, but Mitrione says the promotion had enough quality heavyweights to fill the brackets up.
“I think Bellator’s tournament was exciting enough with the heavyweights that we have on the roster,” said Mitrione. “I don’t think we needed to add name value to it.”
The next champion versus champion bout is set for Bellator 221, which features lightweight champion Michael Chandler defending the gold against featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull.
