“For you to get me to the ground, you have to get a hold of my body, and not many people do that very well. If I get taken down, I get taken down to the wall.”

American retired mixed martial artist and former American football player

Matt Mitrione is an American retired mixed martial artist and former American football player. Born in 1978, he competed in the UFC and later in Bellator MMA, and he is also known for a professional football career that included the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings. Before moving into mixed martial arts, Mitrione played college football at Purdue University. He was featured on The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights and went on to fight as a heavyweight contender, with wins over Kimbo Slice, Derrick Lewis, Roy Nelson, Phil De Fries, and Fedor Emelianenko.