MMA star blasts 'dirtbag, cheating' rival

Matt Mitrione long-standing friendship with fellow MMA heavyweight Roy Nelson is over after the pair's Bellator fight over the weekend.

Mitrione, 39, defeated Nelson by majority decision in the main event at Bellator 194, winning the first two rounds on the judges' cards.

However it was what happened in his lost third round that had the big man furious with 'Big Country' Nelson.

Mitrione appeared on The MMA Hour to vent his frustrations, arguing Nelson was cheating the system in the third by gaining leverage off the cage while he was in top mount.

“Roy then took his right big toe and lifted his foot off the ground and stuck it inside the fence,” Mitrione said.

“And then for 45 seconds — or 40 seconds or so — inside of that round when he was on top of me punching me or elbowing me, he was cheating.

"He had all this leverage, because he was pushing off the fence driving into me.”

MMA fighters are not permitted to hold onto the cage with their toes or fingers at any time if it assists in controlling their or their opponents body position.

Mitrione said Nelson gamed the system by raining down blows whenever he was warned about the manoeuvre by referee Dan Miragliotta, diverting the referees attention.

Although he won the bout, Mitrione is now furious with 'Big Country'.

"For Roy to grandstand, to be like, ‘Oh, I’m full of integrity, I don’t cheat, I don’t steroids or anything else, blah blah blah,’ and then when the fight comes down to it, to say you need to win, because you lost the first two rounds, then you start to cheat just so you can win?” Mitrione said.

"That’s garbage, man. You’re a grandstanding dude with false integrity and I’ve got nothing for it.

"And if you guys think I’m being a sore winner, just go back and watch the film."

And matters only went downhill from there for the pair, with Mitrione complaining of how Nelson acted after the fight.

“Old boy has got issues,” Mitrione said.

“He’s got character and quality issues. I don’t like Roy Nelson. He’s not my dude anymore. I have no plans to be cool with him.

"If you’re gonna cheat to try and beat me, you’re a dirtbag and I’ve got no respect for you. So I’ve lost all juice for Roy. All of it.”