Linton Vassell is only looking at the upside of his Bellator 234 headline matchup with Sergei Kharitonov.
Despite a three-fight losing skid, Vassell (18-8 MMA, 7-5 BMMA) gets the main-event spot against heavyweight contender Sergei Kharitonov (29-6 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) on Thursday. Another defeat would seemingly be detrimental to the 36-year-old’s his career, but Vassell said he’s not fretting over his position.
“You can’t just give up because you lose a few fights,” Vassell told MMA Junkie. “I know where I’m at. I know the people I’ve fought before and beat. It’s the fight game. You win, you lose and it’s just part of the game.”
To his credit, Vassell’s recent losses have come against two-division Bellator champ Ryan Bader, former champ Phil Davis and highly touted prospect Valentin Moldavsky.
Vassell can wipe away the hardship of his skid in one moment, though, and that comes at Bellator 234. The event airs via tape-delay Friday on Paramount from Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Kharitonov enters the matchup riding a eight-fight unbeaten streak. The Russian has managed to earn all of his Bellator wins by knockout, but Vassell said he doesn’t see himself succumbing to that same fate.
“This is my time,” Vassell said. “I don’t think he’s ever fought anyone like me before. A lot of his last fights were strikers and I like to take people down and beat them up and choke them out, as well as strike. I’ll bring more to the table other than just try to knock him out standing. I’m going to beat him up. I have a lot of tools for him.”
Vassell feels those tools are going to take him forward in prosperous fashion. Bellator 234 marks his second fight since moving up to heavyweight, and while his debut didn’t go according to plan, Vassell said he’s used the past eight months between fights to physically and mentally prepare for what’s to come.
“I’ve been watching the division,” Vassell said. “I’ve been watching everyone. They’re big guys but they don’t like to work. If they have to work they lose. They get taken down and they’re stuck. You’ve seen my ground game. I feel my style works really well against the big guys.”
Linton Vassell dismisses skid ahead of Bellator 234: 'You can't just give up'