Heavyweight prospect Tyrell Fortune returns at Bellator 255, albeit not against the opponent he was expecting.
Fortune (9-1, 1NC) was supposed to go up against Matt Mitrione. But with Mitrione out of the fight, he’ll instead run one back with Jack May. “I was looking forward to Matt, obviously it’s a bigger name, bigger opponent,” Fortune stated during this week’s Bellator 255 virtual media day. “But being able to run this one back is very satisfying for me.”
There’s always the chance, of course, that Tyrell Fortune and Matt Mitrione wind up booked again down the road. “I just fight whoever they ask me to,” noted Fortune, before adding “honestly, looking at the rankings right now, I don’t want to fight Matt.”
Instead, Fortune has another heavyweight in mind. “Valentin Moldavsky,” he suggested. “He’s number three. He’s in front of me, so it takes me one step closer to getting to the belt.”
The belt at heavyweight is held by Ryan Bader, the former light heavyweight champ currently moonlighting in the 205lb grand prix that launches this month. Fortune is not bothered that the heavyweight champ’s attention is elsewhere. “Doesn’t bother me at all. That’s got nothing to do with me. That’s his career choice.”
Fortune does believe, however, that he could be in a position to face Bader when he does return from the Grand Prix. “100%,” he stated on if he’d be ready for a title fight. Interestingly enough, the pair have trained before in the past.
In the meantime, Fortune has some business to finish up with Jack May. The pair met last year, with the fight ending in a No Contest when Fortune landed a low blow. May was unable to continue.
“This guy, he had been starting to talk sh*t to me since my last fight, when I fought Said Sowma,” exclaimed Fortune, clearly unsympathetic to May’s plight. “So he was just trying to get back in the cage with me for a while I guess. He’s actually motivated me to fight him. So I can say I’m looking forward to getting in the cage and getting with him.”
Watch the full Bellator 255 virtual media day scrum with Tyrell Fortune above. Bellator 255 takes place Friday, April 2 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The card airs live on Showtime, and will be available in its entirety right here on Cageside Press.
