Bellator MMA heavyweight fighter Matt Mitrione, affectionately known as "Meathead", has never been a shrinking violet. Mitrione excelled at pretty much every sport he tried while growing up: swimming, diving, track and field, as well as football.

From a young age, the allure of the gridiron spoke to him.

“I started playing football when I was a kid, the game just seemed like a natural fit for me,” Mitrione said. “The physical ballet of football always attracted me. From the beginning, I really enjoyed the team aspect of it and, of course, the contact.”

Mitrione excelled as a defensive tackle for Springfield Southeast High School (Springfield, Ill.) while earning an Honorable Mention USA Today All-American and All-State honors during his senior year.

Even though he was highly successful and loved the sport of football, the gridiron alone was not enough to satisfy his competitive drive.

Initially, he began training in martial arts as a child, which gave way to competing in Toughman Competitions in high school. This portion of his life may have foreshadowed to what lay ahead for Mitrione.

“I don't think there is any doubt that the contact in football prepared me for my career in mixed martial arts,” he said. “Contact is a part of both sports and I was prepared when I got in the cage. Not to mention, it also prepared me mentally. On the defensive line, you're going to get hit. That's just a fact. Knowing that made me mentally tougher.”

His toughness and athleticism caught the attention of the Purdue football program, where Mitrione started over 30 games. The opportunity to compete against elite collegiate programs on some of the biggest stages in the nation proved to be memorable.

“I got to play in two Alamo Bowls with Purdue, one against Kansas State and Michael Bishop, and the other against Oklahoma State,” he said. “I got to play at Michigan, at Wisconsin, at Iowa. Some of the biggest stadiums in the country. It was really cool and those are some of the best memories I have of playing in college.”

Mitrione injured his foot prior to his senior season, which cost him the chance of getting drafted into the NFL. However, he wasn’t out of football very long. The New York Giants offered Mitrione a UDFA contract prior to the 2002 season.

The contract symbolized a realization of his childhood dream.  

“When I was a little kid, maybe five years old, my mother and I were out doing something and this woman asked me, hey little boy, what are you going to be when you grow up?” Mitrione said. “I told her I was going to play professional football. She laughed and just patted me on the head and said that was cute and we could all dream. That stuck with me the rest of my life. I've always had a chip on my shoulder about that.”

Ultimately, injuries derailed his pro career. Mitrione re-injured his foot during a 2003 playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers, which precipitated another surgery. He had over half a dozen surgeries on this particular foot. The rehabilitation had Mitrione on crutches for over a year. He was released by the Giants in 2004 and then had brief stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings.

He knew it was time to hang it up.

“I don't have any regrets about how my career ended,” he said. “I achieved my dream of playing pro football. I also had a college degree and options. I could have probably hung on and tried again the following season, but in my head I was already on to other things.”

It was a faithful phone call from a close friend that ultimately changed the trajectory of Mitrione’s life. The Washington Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth, a close friend, introduced him to MMA during their conversation.

Mitrione no sooner hung up the phone and relocated to Indianapolis to begin training MMA full-time.

Mitrione was cast for the UFC's reality competition show in 2010. He earned the deprecating ‘meathead’ nickname during filming, which was bestowed upon him by his coach and former UFC champion Rashad Evans. The novice MMA athlete was eliminated during the show's quarterfinals, but his performance earned him a contract with the UFC. While with the promotion, Mitrione compiled an impressive 9-5 record and earned victories against some of the biggest names in one of the sport’s deepest divisions.

“Football gave me some practical skills and abilities that helped me achieve some success in MMA,” he said. “Footwork definitely. You have to have good footwork to play the defensive line and you have to have that in the cage. Hand fighting is also a skill I was able to take with me from football to MMA. I also think the mentality that football teaches you, to have to take one play at a time. No matter if you did good one play or did bad, it's always on to the next one. You need that in MMA.”

Mitrione recently signed a free agent contract with Bellator MMA in March of 2016. He won his first fight under the new promotion by knockout at Bellator 157. His unyielding competitive streak had him back in the cage at Bellator 158, a short three weeks later. He won his second Bellator fight via TKO.

Having settled into his new home, Mitrione has his sights set on glory.

“My ultimate goal is to be world champion,” he said. “I know if I put in the hard work, I will get there.”