Former UFC Heavyweight Timothy Johnson opens up on being the underdog vs Matt Mitrione at the co-main event of the upcoming Bellator 243.
Timothy Johnson will take on fellow former UFC Heavyweight Matt Mitrione in the co-main event of Bellator 243. Despite coming off a huge victory over Tyrell Fortune at Bellator 239, he heads into this match as the underdog. However, Johnson isn’t bothered.
Also read: UFC Announce Two Huge Fights For The August 22 Event
He claims to relish the role and is content to prove the naysayers wrong. Although, he expressed confusion over why doubts regarding his quality persist. Especially considering the level of competition he’s had to face all through his career.
Timothy Johnson on being the underdog vs Matt Mitrione at Bellator 243
“This is a big opportunity,” Johnson told MMA Junkie. “When I first came over from UFC to Bellator, they offered me a great opportunity with Cheick, and I kinda pissed that down my leg, and I understand the opportunity I have in front of me again. You only get a handful of those opportunities and can’t let them slip through your fingers when you get them.”
Johnson has 2 losses and one win in the Bellator. He endured two first round losses; this was the first time he suffered back to back losses in his career. He then earned a huge win against undefeated prospect Fortune to get his career back on track.
Despite the win, he is not the favourite heading into Bellator 243. To Johnson’s credit, his two losses came to Cheick Kongo and Vitaly Minakov, two of the most experienced names in MMA. He brought this up saying he was unfairly doubted despite suffering top notch losses against big names.
“My whole UFC career, I was only the favorite once, and in my first two fights I was obviously not the favorite and then a huge underdog the last fight,” Johnson said. “I’m kinda used to it, you explain it that way, so I don’t like the even odds. I’m like, ‘Come on people, keep doubting me, I don’t care.’”
“Seems like everyone forgot the people I’ve fought and my losses were top-notch losses. But, for some reason, I was supposed to go in there and go and get my rear end whipped by Tyrell because I was on my way out. I didn’t get what the oddsmakers were making out of that, but it is what it is.”
Bellator 243 will take place on Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena.
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