Interview with UFC's Matt Mitrione: "I feel I am the best fighter in the world"

Matt Mitrione is ready to take on Ben Rothwell

It’s the clash of the UFC Heavyweight veterans Matt Mitrione and Ben Rothwell at UFC Fight Night 68 inside the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Rothwell has been on an impressive run recently, coming in on the back of consecutive wins including the unforgettable victory over Alistair Overeem. But Mitrione himself has been having a spectacular time inside the Octagon, especially after knocking out tough opponents in the first round on three straight occasions.

Sportskeeda’s Ratish Menon caught up with a focused Matt Mitrione as the former football player, who has some serious momentum on his side, commented on several topics, including his game plan heading into the fight. Below is the full transcript:

Matt, you are one of the very few fighters to have achieved success in the UFC, transitioning over from another sport (football). Could you talk about the things you learned from your football days that helped you in your MMA career and vice-versa, things that maybe you had to unlearn to become successful in MMA?

Matt: Well, that is a pretty intense question. Yeah, I have learned from football that I carry over into pretty much everything, not just other sports. But (most importantly) tenacity; like there is a lot that goes on in football. You have to have a really short memory, you screw up one time, you can’t let that bother you so that it affects you for a long period of time.

Same thing in fighting, same thing in my trade. Yeah, there is teamwork and you have to consider yourself a part of something that's greater than you as an individual. And if you don’t buy into that, you will never be successful on a team level. And, it’s kind of inverse of that here, right? I have a team that helps you prepare and then you go out and you don’t want the spotlight, but my team gets the residuals of my success because I am able to bring them along, I am able to work with them.

I think football helped me to handle that and (taught me) how to help communicate my thoughts and my appreciation for my teammates that don’t get the spotlight. And then, things that I had to unlearn? I had to unlearn all my physical conditioning before. It was completely different. I would probably say that’s it.

You were a part of one of the best editions of the 'Ultimate Fighter'. What garnered you the nickname 'Meathead', and what advice would you have given that version of Matt Mitrione, from where you are in your career at present?

Matt: My high school football defensive line coach couldn’t say my last name very well. One day he was upset with me, he was yelling at me and he couldn’t blurt out my last name. So it just came out, “Meathead”. So that’s how it came out.

And what advice would I give to myself? I would say... wrestle and grapple more and shut up when you are on TV.

Your striking and footwork have always been your strong points and you looked fantastic in your last fight. How confident are you heading into your fight with Ben Rothwell, and what’s your gameplan?

Matt: Extremely confident going into this next fight. I feel like I am the best fighter in the world. And given that, I can beat any other person in the world. I feel that this will be a great opportunity for me to come out, display a little bit more on what we have been working on, and to show the world that I am ready to be considered as the top contender.

While there is no doubting your stand-up skills, would you mind talking about your training on the ground and how far your grappling game has come along?

Matt: You know it’s funny that Ben Henderson is a really solid grappler, you know, black belt. He was a brown belt for a long while. He enters one of the tournaments and messes up one little bit with Anthony Pettis, gets caught in an armbar in the first round and then all of a sudden people are questioning his black belt and if it’s legit or whatever, ‘cause Anthony Pettis is a blue belt.

I am not considering or comparing myself to Ben. I am just saying that you screw up one time and it sticks with you for a really long while afterward.

I spent so much time on the ground with the best grapplers in the world, you know, anybody I can get hold of that can twist me in a knot, I work with them. And I pay my way to get out there, I pay them to spend time with me and I learn as much as I can from them.

And my training partners, they are all very solid, they are giant human beings, anywhere from 250 to 300, and they are all good wrestlers, solid on the ground. So I get a constant amount of work that’s always changing, and they are never afraid to jump on me and cause me pain. I spend a tremendous amount of time while working – straight shots, throws, everything. And I am sure everyone understands that.

At this point with me coming on with a couple of first round knockouts against some bigger, heavier bodies that are punchers also, and me startling them, I think not too many people would want to stand up with me, specially for 15 minutes.

So I think a lot of people are expecting Ben to try to get onto the ground. I do too; I go, “Hey, good luck trying to get to the ground.” I feel prepared for that. But if you get me to the ground, I feel I am much more slick than what you are gonna give me credit for, from what you have seen in the past, and it’s just a matter of time until I get what I am looking for.

Your current team Blackzilians had been on quite a run with your success. What do you think of UFC 187 with Rumble?

Matt: I have seen Rumble work. I think Rumble is the best 205-er in the world. I like Cormier a lot. I have never seen Cormier work, you know at practice and day to day stuff. But I know that Rumble is legit.

With the win streak you have been on, what fight do you think makes the most sense post-Ben Rothwell?

Matt: I think the fight that makes most sense right now is Ben Rothwell.

Speaking of the division, the title unification bout between Cain and Werdum is set for next week. What do you think of the fight and who is your pick?

Matt: Cain. All day. Cain is a monster.

You have been very vocal in the media about your past beef with Overeem and former manager Malki Kawa. Have you been able to patch things up with them? Where do you stand with those two guys now?

Matt: I don’t stand anywhere with them. I am sure if we ever had a conversation, it would be fine. I don’t shy away from either one of them and they don’t shy away from me. But like I said, if there’s something we don’t agree on, we say something about it.

Lastly, you may not know this but you have quite the fanbase in India, due to your exciting fight style. Any message for your fans in India? Also, when can we see you come down to this side of the world?

Matt: I am always down to go to India. I have never been there. So let's go! Somebody buy me a flight and I'll be there.

Honestly, I know a guy in India on Twitter that follows me and we communicate, back and forth. But I didn’t know that anybody else followed me. So I am flattered. That’s pretty cool to know that somebody across the world could actually know my name and care about something I do. That’s really flattering.

Be sure to tune into UFC Fight Night 68, that comes to you LIVE! on Sony Six and Sony Kix on 7th June at 7.30 am IST.