Photo: Michael Maddox, Atterbury-Muscatatuck Public Affairs / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Matt 'Meathead' Mitrione is the perfect example of an athlete reinventing himself. Going from NFL defensive line to a real heavyweight knockout artist is no small leap, and he made it look natural thanks to scary power in those hands. His Bellator run, especially the wild win over Fedor Emelianenko where they nearly knocked each other out simultaneously, was one of the most chaotic heavyweight moments I've seen. He was never the most technical guy, but he was must-watch because every fight could end in a flash. Charismatic on the mic too, which kept him fun outside the cage.
Overview
Matt Mitrione (born July 15, 1978) is an American mixed martial artist and former professional football player. A defensive lineman at Purdue University, he played in the NFL with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings before transitioning to MMA, where he first gained prominence on The Ultimate Fighter. He competed as a heavyweight in the UFC and later in Bellator MMA, becoming known for his knockout power.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Matt Mitrione
- Name (Japanese)
- マット・ミトリオン
- Reading
- まっと・みとりおん
- Born
- July 15, 1978 (age 47)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Horse
- Origin
- Springfield, Illinois, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 191cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- American football player / Mixed martial artist / Karateka
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Purdue University
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
American football player — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.