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There’s no doubt that Matt Mitrione is a quality heavyweight. He came into the UFC after injuries stymied his NFL career and managed to stay afloat despite being 0-0 when he arrived. Upon arrival in Bellator it looked like he was evolving from a middle of the pack fighter to contender with wins over Fedor Emelianenko and Roy Nelson.
He may still, but right now we’re reminded of why his exasperated The Ultimate Fighter 10 coach Rashad Evans gave him the less than complimentary nickname “Meathead.”
Mitrione faced off against Sergei Kharitonov for the second at Bellator 225 this past Saturday. The first fight ended poorly when “Meathead” punted Kharitonov in the dick, sending him to the hospital and resulting in a No Contest. The rematch wasn’t quite as strange, but it was close. Mitrione’s mouthpiece fell out multiple times in the six and a half minutes the fight lasted. The fourth drop near the start of the second round probably would have cost him a point, had Kharitonov not knocked “Meathead” out shortly after it happened (watch the highlights here).
Now Mitrione has released a statement on the strange string of mouthpiece problems.
“Me losing was not because of my mouthpiece, it was because of my response to the situation,” he wrote on Twitter. “I always use the same one & lost it Thursday before fight week. Had an impression done at a West Lafayette dentist. It was shipped to hotel. First time I ever wore it was tonight.”
Me losing was not because of my mouthpiece, it was because of my response to the situation. I always use the same one & lost it Thursday before fight week. Had an impression done at a West Lafayette dentist. It was shipped to hotel. First time I ever wore it was tonight.
— Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione) August 25, 2019
Anyone who has ever had to wear mouthpieces knows just how terrible a poorly fitted one can be. Too large and they’ll trigger endless gag reflex. Poorly cast and they’ll pop right off your teeth at the slightest wiggle of your jaw. They’re not the kind of item you want to use fresh out of the box for a professional mixed martial arts contest.
Obviously Mitrione was in a bind and had terrible luck. But at a certain point you wonder how many of these unlucky situations couldn’t have been avoided had they been handled in a slightly less “Meathead” manner.
Hopefully Mitrione figures it all out. He arrived in Bellator and rattled off four straight wins — three of those KOs, and one of those in the first round against goddamn Fedor. Then he was ousted from the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix by eventual winner Ryan Bader … no shame there. His 2019, though? All about these strange bouts with Sergei Kharitonov. His momentum has been lost. Can he get some of it back? With a little luck, sure. So I guess we’ll see.