Matt Mitrione
| Matt Mitrione | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 15, 1978 Springfield, Illinois |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 275 lb (125 kg; 19.6 st) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Style | Shooto |
| Fighting out of | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Team | Integrated Fighting Academy |
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| College: | Purdue |
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Career history | |
Matthew Mitrione (born July 15, 1978 in Springfield, Illinois) is an American professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and former NFL player. He is a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights. He was picked by Team Rashad, lead by Rashad Evans.[1] He currently trains out of Indianapolis, Indiana for Integrated Fighting Academy with Chris Lytle and Jake O'Brien.[2]
Biography
Matt Mitrione was a football All-American playing defensive tackle and fullback at Sacred Heart Griffin High School in Springfield, Illinois. Mitrione attended Purdue University where he finished seventh on the Boilermakers career tackles for loss list. He earned All-Big Ten honors in 2000 which was his final year at Purdue. Matt was undrafted but earned a roster spot on the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. As a member of the Giants, he suffered a foot injury during a 2003 playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. It took seven surgeries and a 16-month stint on crutches before he was able to return. In 2006, Mitrione left football and began a sports nutrition company called Engineer Design Nutrition.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Mitrione took shooto classes in his spare time as a teenager but was prohibited from them in college due to his football scholarship. He was set to make his debut in 2008 but an injury forced him to pull out of the bout. Before rescheduling took place, he was given the opportunity to fight on The Ultimate Fighter.