Gallery Ryan Bader def. Matt Mitrione at Bellator 207: Best Photos view 9 images

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Matt Mitrione said prior to Bellator 207 that he put himself through his most difficult training camp to date to prepare for Ryan Bader’s wrestling. Unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough.

Mitrione (13-6 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) was eliminated from the Bellator heavyweight grand prix when he lost a semifinal matchup to Ryan Bader (26-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) via one-sided unanimous decision. Bader’s grappling was the difference-maker, and despite having a 25.5-pound advantage, there wasn’t anything Mitrione could do to stop it.

After the tough loss, Mitrione offered little in the way of excuses. He gave Bader his due for the performance and said he was proud for not giving up inside the cage.

“I obviously got (expletive) up there, lost this one,” Mitrione said in an Instagram video following Bellator 207. “I felt like in the middle of it I thought to myself, ‘It’s the perfect time for a Snickers commercial,’ because I wasn’t going anywhere for 15 minutes. That mother(expletive) just rode me like a pony, man. He’s a great wrestler; I’m not. He took advantage of it and did a great job.

“Great job, Bader. You whooped my ass. I didn’t quit. I didn’t look very good, but I never gave up, so I can still go home to my babies with my head held high.”

Bellator 207 took place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Mitrione vs. Bader headlined the Paramount-televised main card following prelims on MMAjunkie.

The result of the fight marked Mitrione’s first defeat since he joined Bellator in June 2016. He took some damage in the contest, but as someone who has been in the sport for more than eight years, he knows there can only be one winner and one loser, and at Bellator 207, things simply didn’t go his way.

“I didn’t break my nose, got a little bit of a black eye and some mat burn on my forehead from trying to turn from getting smoked,” Mitrione said. “But (expletive) happens, man. Thanks for supporting me. I’m sorry. I’m just not a great wrestler. It’s the way (expletive) works.”

For complete coverage of Bellator 207, check out the MMA Events section of the site.