Weighing the Bellator Options of Matt Mitrione

Bellator MMA charged into 2016 in the loudest way possible, outmaneuvering the UFC to pick up a handful of the sport's most visible free agents.

First and most notably, the organization made waves by scooping up former UFC and WEC lightweight king Benson Henderson. Then, they picked up a long-time free agent in Pride and Strikeforce veteran Sergei Kharitonov. And finally, Bellator came out on top in a highly-publicized legal scuffle with the UFC, winning the services of light heavyweight legend Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as a result. And while the organization ultimately failed to capture other high-profile free agents like Alistair Overeem, Aljamain Sterling, and Dustin Poirier, they recently made another noteworthy pickup in TUF 10 veteran Matt Mitrione (9-5).

Given that all 14 of Mitrione's professional bouts have been in the UFC's Octagon, it'll be interesting to see how he adapts to life under the Bellator banner. Yet whatever comes of the 37-year-old's Bellator run, it looks like it should be a fun one, as he matches up well with many members of the organization's ever-growing heavyweight division.

So what course does Bellator take with its newest signing?

The most logical next step for Mitrione would probably be a tune-up fight with one of Bellator's lesser-known big men. He is, after all, on a two-fight skid and would probably benefit from a soft welcome to the Bellator cage.

To this end, he might find himself on the canvas with another fighter coming off a loss, such as Brazil's Vinicius "Spartan" Queiroz, who was recently outpointed by another UFC veteran in Cheick Kongo. Mitrione might also be paired with one of the division's rising fighters, such as the undefeated Augusto Sakai, or Tony Johnson, who he has already exchanged some Twitter trash talk with. Given that Mitrione is a fairly big name, however, his being scheduled for a bout with one of Bellator's lesser known heavyweights is unlikely. While he probably won't be given the Benson Henderson treatment and receive an immediate title shot, it would not be surprising to see him paired with one of Bellator's top heavies right off the bat.

At a glance, one of the most obvious choices in this regard would be Cheick Kongo, who owns a commendable 6-2 record in Bellator. Yet given Kongo's entirely forgettable 2011 defeat of Mitrione, which occurred in the UFC, it's unlikely that Bellator is in any rush to schedule the pair for a rematch.

If Kongo is out of the question, Mitrione might instead be paired with former pro wrestler Bobby Lashley, who now stands out as one of Bellator's top heavyweights with a 14-2 overall record, and 4-0 mark in the promotion. Given Lashley's current standing however, it seems more probable that he is paired with somebody like Kongo, who has also put in the hours in the Bellator cage. In fact, it would not be surprising to see Lashley and Kongo mix it up for the organization's heavyweight title in the not too distant future, as current champion Vitaly Minakov has not set foot on the canvas in almost two years. This, of course, seems to rule out the possibility of Lashley's being the man to welcome Mitrione to the organization. Luckily, Mitrione's options don't end there.

He might, for example, be paired with Sergei Kharitonov, who is also awaiting a dance partner for his Bellator debut. Sure, Mitrione would be a rightful underdog against the fearsome Russian veteran. That said, his speed, athleticism and big-stage experience would make him a viable choice for Kharitonov's first Bellator opponent, and besides, there isn't a fight fan alive who wouldn't be interested in watching these two brick-fisted heavyweights try to take each other's heads off.

And then of course, there is perhaps the biggest of Mitrione's Bellator options: a showdown with light heavyweight legend Tito Ortiz.

Of course, this fight would be undeniably absurd. Mitrione and Ortiz fight in different weight classes, come from entirely different eras of the sport, and really, would probably never be mentioned in the same sentence were it not for their nearly coming to blows at the UFC Fighter Summit in 2011.

Granted, Mitrione and Ortiz's beef—if you can even call it beef—pales in comparison to that of Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier or Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo. That said, it would probably provide enough material for Bellator to run with. The organization did, after all, just give us Kimbo Slice vs. Dada 5000. Furthermore, the notoriously volatile Ortiz recently suggested he'd consider a move up in weight to challenge Fedor Emelianenko, and could probably be convinced to do the same for a grudge match with Mitrione. Given that he seems to have no better options at light heavyweight, and that Mitrione will be looking to gain his footing as a Bellator heavyweight, the fight actually makes a modicum of sense. So why not book it?

Really though, whether it's a fight with a lesser-known opponent like Spartan, Sakai or Johnson, a contender bout with a Bellator star like Kongo or Lashley, or a strangely appealing grudge match with Tito Ortiz, it's clear that Matt Mitrione has no shortage of options inside the Bellator cage. So while his UFC career appears to be over, his fighting career is certainly not.