Matt Mitrione thinks he’s the perfect guy to welcome back Fedor Emelianenko to the cage.
Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) is set to return on Oct. 23 at VTB Arena in Moscow for the promotion’s first trip to Russia. Mitrione already holds a win over Emelianenko, knocking out the heavyweight legend in just over a minute in 2017.
In what was a wild fight while it lasted, Mitrione (13-8 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) thinks Emelianenko likely will want to avenge that loss, and he’s more than happy to oblige.
“I think that would be absolutely dope,” Mitrione told MMA Junkie Radio. “I don’t think there’s a better storyline or fight itself than me with Fedor. Fighting him in Moscow would be absolutely dope. I’d be honored to go to his backyard and scrap. Everybody that knows me or who’s ever watched me fight knows I’m game. I’ve got nothing to be hesitant about in any shape or form.”
Mitrione was honest in his assessment of their fight, where both men connected at the same time and dropped each other, but Emelianenko got the worse of it. Mitrione was able to get back up and stop the former PRIDE heavyweight champion with brutal ground and pound.
“On top of that, I respect Fedor to the point that I know that that was kind of a blip on the radar, an anomaly fight,” Mitrione said. “It was nuts. It only lasted 70-something seconds, and I know that he wants that one back. So all he’s gotta do is say my name, and I say yes.”
But first, Mitrione has another opponent to worry about in former NCAA Division II national champion wrestler Tyrell Fortune (10-1 MMA, 10-1 BMMA). Mitrione will look to notch his first win since 2018 when he takes on the heavyweight prospect in the co-main event of Bellator 262 on Friday.
You can watch the full interview with Mitrione in the video above.
Matt Mitrione makes pitch for Fedor Emelianenko’s return: ‘I don’t think there’s a better storyline’