VIDEO: Matt Bessette is ready to shine in Bellator 253 matchup
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Matt “The Mangler” Bessette (24-9) will face Jeremy Kennedy (15-2) in an exciting featherweight clash at the Mohegan Sun casino on November 19 at Bellator 253.
Bessette is coming off two straight wins, most recently at CES 60 when he finished Charles Cheeks in the third round. Matt was pleased with his most recent victory but knew going in that this wouldn’t be a quick fight.
”I am happy when I watch people, how they fight, you can go out there and want a knockout in 30 seconds or a quick submission but the other guy doesn’t want that to happen to him so you got to be smart about it,” Bessette told The Scrap, “If you are fighting a guy like [Cheeks] who is more of a grappler type, more of a decision guy, to get you down and sub you or ground and pound. If he is that type of guy then it tends to be more of a battle of attrition at times. So I didn’t think it was going to be a first-round finish, I thought I would finish him in the third round and I was right.”
Every fighter’s dream is to make it to the pinnacle of the sport, and for “The Mangler” that pinnacle was the UFC. Bessette was released from the UFC after his split decision loss to Steven Peterson in July 2018. He gave us his take on how he processed being released from the biggest promotion in the world.
“It wasn’t difficult being released because I haven’t fought for over six months with them and you know if you’re constantly the guy that’s always ready to fight and you are constantly training to be a last-minute replacement guy, it sucks. It really, really sucks,” Bessette said, “I was in that limbo stage from 2012 to 2018 and it was awful.
“I was always training, always in shape, always watching what I ate constantly. Thanksgiving wasn’t great, Christmas was never great cause I always had that in the back of my head and unless you have ever been in that situation you have no idea how draining that is. That being said it was almost a relief to be released knowing that I can make my own fight again. That being said, I am back in that position where I am grinding trying to be that guy that’s in shape for that last minute call. I actually got four and a half weeks for Jeremy Kennedy and I have been training for two months before that so I am in nasty shape.”
The New England fight fans have been eagerly anticipating a clash between Bessette and Maine fighter, Bruce Boyington. The two men have gone back and forth on social media and the bad blood feels very real. We asked Bessette where this potential matchup currently stands and his thoughts on the outcome.
“We can definitely see that, the beef is real, I don’t like him,” Bessette began, “He is gonna bend, he’s gonna take a dirt nap. It is not gonna be a choke, it’s not gonna be a knockout, I’m not gonna break anything. I am going to put him to sleep. He is going to wake up minutes later.”
Bessette will now turn his full attention to Jeremy Kennedy as the two men lock horns in a crucial battle for both guys at this stage of their careers. Bessette is expecting another tough fight but is fully confident in what he brings to the table.
“I am going to stay mobile, go out there, and use my cardio to my advantage,” he said, “I am going to find my opening. I have eight finishes by knockout, eight finishes by submission, and eight decisions. I am pretty damn well rounded. I am as well rounded as it comes.”
Tune in to CBS Sports Network on November 19 to check out Matt Bessette take on Jeremy Kennedy at Bellator 253.
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