Matt Mitrione: 'I've Yet to See My Best'
Matt Mitrione: 'I've Yet to See My Best'
Matt Mitrione picked up his second win inside the new cage at Bellator 158 but believes it was far from his best performance.
"For everyone that does support me--cool, I'll keep giving you reasons. If you don't like me--go kick rocks in the street."
Matt Mitrione wasn't his usual jovial self after the conclusion of Bellator 158 in London. Speaking after battling through a grueling two round contest with British heavyweight Oli Thompson, Mitrione was in no mood for messing around and quickly paid tribute to his opponent.
"It was seriously hard fought, I'm seriously impressed with how tough Oli is," Mitrione said. "That dude can take a frying pan to the face without much action. He was tough, he was durable, he was stubborn and he definitely earned my pennies tonight."
During the first round, Mitrione unloaded what looked like some full blooded strikes to Thompson--who was visibly wobbled but never out of it. The American recalled how he felt are dishing out that type of punishment only to see his Thompson still standing.
"I was shocked, totally shocked," Mitrione said. "At one point we were clinched up against the wall and I stepped back and hit him with a knee to the face and I saw lights on but nobody home immediately so I started unloading on him and I was just shocked that he didn't fall down - shocked the fight wasn't over."
Despite being disappointed with not being able to finish it at that point in the first round, Mitrione rallied and after enduring a brief Thompson comeback. Mitrione was able to put him away in the second frame.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/mattmitrione/status/754811250362740736" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
"It felt great, anytime you are able to get the finish it's a great feeling," Mitrione said. "But on the other hand, I feel like I took way too many punches and I was just brawling in there and I kinda gassed a little, which is something I've never done before. It was, you know, just difficult. It was a hard fought win but I'm damn glad I got it that's for sure."
After such a battle it was plain to see after the fight that both Mitrione and Thompson had earned a lot of respect for another, and in the aftermath of his victory, Mitrione revealed the words they exchanged.
"That's exactly what we said to one another [that it was a good fight]," Mitrione revealed. "I told him that he was much tougher than I thought he was going to be. It was fun, it was a good fight and it was a good throwdown."
The win last evening was Mitrione's second win inside a month for Bellator MMA since making his debut. Despite chalking up another two wins, Mitrione still feels like he's not shown the Bellator MMA fans what he has to offer.
"The best!? Hello no! Not even I've seen my best," Mitrione said. "I only get paid when I work so I'm down, they know my phone number so they call me if they want it. I don't know what to expect next, as I said, they got my phone number, give me a cal."
The big news of the weekend was, of course, the citing for Brock Lesnar for a violation of the USADA anti-doping policy. Mitrione, not long departed from the organization, had a damning opinion on what should happen for anyone found to be in violation of USADA's program.
"Drugs test don't bother me at all," Mitrione said. "If somebody has to take steroids to cheat then good for them. You know, I hope they don't get popped, but if they do, I think they should be charged with a crime."
Matt Mitrione wasn't his usual jovial self after the conclusion of Bellator 158 in London. Speaking after battling through a grueling two round contest with British heavyweight Oli Thompson, Mitrione was in no mood for messing around and quickly paid tribute to his opponent.
"It was seriously hard fought, I'm seriously impressed with how tough Oli is," Mitrione said. "That dude can take a frying pan to the face without much action. He was tough, he was durable, he was stubborn and he definitely earned my pennies tonight."
During the first round, Mitrione unloaded what looked like some full blooded strikes to Thompson--who was visibly wobbled but never out of it. The American recalled how he felt are dishing out that type of punishment only to see his Thompson still standing.
"I was shocked, totally shocked," Mitrione said. "At one point we were clinched up against the wall and I stepped back and hit him with a knee to the face and I saw lights on but nobody home immediately so I started unloading on him and I was just shocked that he didn't fall down - shocked the fight wasn't over."
Despite being disappointed with not being able to finish it at that point in the first round, Mitrione rallied and after enduring a brief Thompson comeback. Mitrione was able to put him away in the second frame.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/mattmitrione/status/754811250362740736" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
"It felt great, anytime you are able to get the finish it's a great feeling," Mitrione said. "But on the other hand, I feel like I took way too many punches and I was just brawling in there and I kinda gassed a little, which is something I've never done before. It was, you know, just difficult. It was a hard fought win but I'm damn glad I got it that's for sure."
After such a battle it was plain to see after the fight that both Mitrione and Thompson had earned a lot of respect for another, and in the aftermath of his victory, Mitrione revealed the words they exchanged.
"That's exactly what we said to one another [that it was a good fight]," Mitrione revealed. "I told him that he was much tougher than I thought he was going to be. It was fun, it was a good fight and it was a good throwdown."
The win last evening was Mitrione's second win inside a month for Bellator MMA since making his debut. Despite chalking up another two wins, Mitrione still feels like he's not shown the Bellator MMA fans what he has to offer.
"The best!? Hello no! Not even I've seen my best," Mitrione said. "I only get paid when I work so I'm down, they know my phone number so they call me if they want it. I don't know what to expect next, as I said, they got my phone number, give me a cal."
The big news of the weekend was, of course, the citing for Brock Lesnar for a violation of the USADA anti-doping policy. Mitrione, not long departed from the organization, had a damning opinion on what should happen for anyone found to be in violation of USADA's program.
"Drugs test don't bother me at all," Mitrione said. "If somebody has to take steroids to cheat then good for them. You know, I hope they don't get popped, but if they do, I think they should be charged with a crime."