Scott Coker was not available for comment after Bellator 215 but he did post an apology on social media. The main and co-main event did not meet expectations as Logan Storley put on a wrestling clinic that fans did not appreciate and a horrible accident brought Matt Mitrione versus Sergei Kharitonov to a close.
“That’s a first for me,” Coker said on Twitter after the main event.
That’s a first for me… sorry everyone.#Bellator215
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) February 16, 2019
Coker was not alone feeling the need to issue an apology. In the post-fight media scrum, Matt Mitrione apologized for the low blow that ended the fight between him and Kharitonov. Officially declared a no-contest, the low-kick Mitrione threw to the inside of Kharitonov’s thigh would strike him in the groin hard enough to end the match. Mitrione felt so bad, he said he would be willing to step in for any of the heavyweights for Bellator 216 should something happen and they are in need of an immediate replacement.
Mitrione also said, if Kharitonov’s injury is not too serious he would like to face him in the future so that the match can be completed properly without issue. Mitrione said there was no way the injury was an exaggeration on Kharitonov’s part as he knew when the misplaced blow landed, it would do damage. However, the leg kicks are a part of his arsenal and he has no intention of not throwing them or changing the way he fights but this is not how he wanted to close out Bellator 215.
In joining with an apology for fans and Kharitonov Mitrione hopes a fight comes for him soon and if Kharitonov is not hurt too bad, maybe it will be with him. Hopefully, the fights lined up at Bellator 216 can make up for the unfortunate incident.
Do you think Kharitonov and Mitrione should do this one over?
