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The six month layover period has been quite unexpected and somewhat frustrating for Tyrell Fortune, especially after his last MMA fight being a knockout win. However, Fortune does not seem to have much to regret, as he made very good use of the time.
And now he is looking forward to a return to the Octagon in a Heavyweight bout against Rudy Schaffroth at Sunday’s Bellator 225 on the main card, which will be aired on Paramount from Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Fortune talks about training with Ryan Bader
Fortune was expecting a sooner return given his last match was way back in February, which he ended victoriously in a little over two minutes, he told MMA Junkie. But that did not happen. However, it turned out to be a boon in disguise as Fortune utilized the time by training alongside Bellator Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader.
“I thought knocking that guy out in the first two minutes would’ve definitely changed (not getting more fights). But this layover was actually better to me than the last one. I was able to train with Bader more, got a lot more work with him. … I’ve made more leaps and bounds in my training camp, just being able to train and have Ryan Bader there to utilize him as my partner.”
Fortune and Schaffroth's past
The training has made him ready leading up to his match with Schaffroth, who also happens to be an old-time wrestling buddy of Fortune’s. They knew each other as kids and had wrestled in college as well, but Fortune refuses any of that to make a difference in his approach.
“We used to wrestle each other, wrestling back in the day when we were kids. We wrestled once in college. It’s been over 10 years. I’m not that same guy. I’m sure he’s not the same guy. To me it wouldn’t matter who is in front of me. It’s an opponent. The face, the name means nothing to me. I’ve got one objective: Knock you out, beat you up.”
With this match, Fortune hopes to test Schaffroth’s mettle, who has only won against low-level competition so far. He also plans to “catapult his career” and “take out another household name” with the match, as a proof of his improvement as a prospective fighter.
Credits to MMA Junkie for the quotes.
