Matt Mitrione obviously wants to defeat Roy Nelson in a rematch, but revenge is not a factor.
Back in Dec. 2012, Mitrione took on Nelson. The bout headlined “The Ultimate Fighter” 16 finale. Mitrione lost the bout in the opening frame via TKO. Going into the bout, Mitrione was just 5-1 as a professional mixed martial artist, while Nelson had a 17-7 record.
Over five years later, the two will meet again. This time, the bout is part of Bellator’s Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament. The action goes down this Friday night (Feb. 16) in the main event of Bellator 194.
More Than Revenge
During a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio, Mitrione said getting revenge doesn’t serve as a motivator:
“I have zero revenge factor going on. Good job. Roy’s the first guy to legitimately beat me. I can’t get upset about that. I’m a completely different fighter. I’ve been as active as I can be, and I’ve had no injuries. It’s just the fact that my ego wants to prove that I’m better than Roy, wants to prove that I’m the best heavyweight in the Bellator division, and one of the best in the world. I’m ready for that.”
It’s prediction time. Are you picking Matt Mitrione or Roy Nelson? Sound off in the comments section below.
