Matt Mitrione
Officials with the United Kingdom office of the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced three new additional bouts to the promotions second trip to Sweden.
Heavyweight fighters Matt ‘Meathead’ Mitrione (5-2) will take on Philip ‘S11′ De Fries (9-2), while Strikeforce lightweight Ryan Couture (6-1) takes on TUF: The Smashes coach Ross ‘The Real Deal’ Pearson (14-6), and welterweight Ben ‘Benny Blanco’ Alloway (13-3) welcomes Octagon newcomer Ryan LaFlare (7-0).
The bouts were announced on Twitter (@UFC_UK) on Saturday morning.
– #UFCStockholm2013 will see @phildefriesmma and @mattmitrione collide in a heavyweight battle on 6th April!
– Making his UFC debut @RyanDCouture will take on @RossTheRealDeal in a lightweight bout at #UFCStockholm2013
– #TUFSmashes contestant @BennyBlancoMMA will face undefeated welterweight Ryan LaFlare at #UFCStockholm2013 – tickets on sale now!
UFC on Fuel TV: Gustafsson vs. Mousasi (aka UFC on FUEL TV 9 or UFC Sweden 2) is expected to take place on April 6, 2013 with the promotion returning to the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.
Mitrione has back-to-back losses on his record having stepped in as a late replacement for Shane Carwin last December at the TUF 16 Finale versus coach Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson. The two former TUF 10 teammates would not make it out of the first round with Nelson finishing things at 2:58 via TKO. The other loss on Mitrione’s record was to Cheick Kongo at UFC 137 in October 2011.
De Fries is 1-2 in his last three and also enters his bout with Mitrione on a loss. The UK fighter welcomes Todd Duffee back to the Octagon last December at UFC 155 and would wind up losing by first round TKO. The victory in the three fight stretch was over countryman Oli Thompson last August at UFC on FOX 4, ending things with a second round submission.
Couture will make his Octagon debut at the Swedish show carrying a four fight win streak into the fight. The former Strikeforce fighter will have only sat for a couple months having fought at the promotions final show, winning a split decision over K.J. Noons.
After a couple of matches at 145-lbs, Pearson returned to the lightweight division last December at the UFC on FX 6 event to face opposing TUF: The Smashes coach George Sotiropoulus. With no love lost between the two fighters, they would battle into the third round where Pearson would end things via third round TKO at 41-seconds.
Alloway was a member of Sotiropoulos’ team on ‘The Smashes’ reality series but would fail to make it out of the quarterfinals. ‘Benny Blanco” won his Octagon debut in December by knocking out castmate Manuel Rodriguez via knockout, earning his sixth straight victory. The KO also earned the ‘Aussie’ the “Knockout of the Night” bonus.
LaFlare is a perfect 7-0 in his career having earned seven straight finishes (4 knockouts and three submissions) all under the Ring of Combat banner. His last fight took place just a few weeks ago on January 25 where he submitted opponent Andrew Osborne via third round armbar.