Matt Mitrione issues apology after Bellator 215 fight with Sergei Kharitonov ends in a no-contest

Heavyweight knockout artists Matt Mitrione and Sergei Kharitonov squared off in the headliner of last night’s Bellator 215 event in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Unfortunately for fight fans, the bout lasted just fifteen seconds and that was not due to a spectacular finish.

Instead, the fight ended after Mitrione landed a hard low kick to the groin area of Kharitonov.

After absorbing the illegal strike, which was deemed accidental by Bellator officials, “The Russian Mercenary” was clearly in a ton of pain and was thus unable to continue.

With that, the Bellator 215 main event was ruled a no-contest.

Following the conclusion off last night’s main event, Matt Mitrione spoke with reporters where he issued the following apology to Sergei Kharitonov.

“It just sucks, man,” Mitrione told MMAjunkie after last night’s Bellator 215 main event. “Mr. Coker and I were already talking about some stuff. I have to get in Mr. Chou’s ear and see what I can get on. If it’s all booked out, maybe they can bump somebody. I know there’s a card in Chicago (in May), and I live in the Midwest. I’ll bring a gang of people there and we’ll act straight foolish in there if we can get a fight in Chicago.”

Mitrione went on to suggest that he is ‘down’ to rebook a fight with Kharitonov next.

“If Sergei is down to go, if he can do it, if his body’s good – hopefully he didn’t rupture a (testicle) – but if he can do it again, then obviously I’m 100 percent down,” Mitrione said. “He’s the only person I really want to fight in this situation because everybody, I think, deserves that. It would’ve been a great fight and a lot of fun. It just sucks, man.”

Matt Mitrione finished by issuing an apology to both Sergei Kharitonov and the fight fans in general.

“I cannot begin to explain how sorry I am for everybody that paid to come to the fight to watch that fight between Sergei and I. It would’ve been really dope – it would’ve been a great fight. Obviously, it was not intentional – the worst possible situation. Sergei… I’m genuinely sorry. I’m apologetic as I could possibly be.”