Following his win at Bellator 134 in February, light heavyweight Linton Vassell made it known that he wanted to be in a big fight next and Bellator President Scott Coker listened to what Vassell said.
On Saturday night in California, Vassell will be one of the four men in the one-night light heavyweight tournament to determine the next title challenger in the 205 pound division.
Initially when Bellator approached Vassell about the tournament, he thought it would be over a couple of months instead of one-night.
“I did actually think it was a tournament over a couple of months or so,” Vassell said on The MMA Report Live. “When they said it was one night, I thought like ‘no doubt about it, I got to be in this.’ Obviously, they think highly of me to ask me. So you can’t turn away big offers like this. It’s a big fight against Mo and other top competitors in it as well. I was surprised it was one night and I have trained my ass off. I am more than capable to win this. I put the work in and it’s down to business now.”
Vassell is a former title challenger in the Bellator light heavyweight division and knows that at some point, he will face the other three fighters in this tournament. Heading into the tournament, he had no preference on his semifinal opponent and is looking forward to showing up his skills on Saturday.
“I’ve got King Mo and that is what I got. I wasn’t really worried like I wish I got someone else,” he said. “At the end of the day, we are all going to fight each other at some point. I knew that I would be fighting him at some point in my career and what perfect time to do it now really in the biggest tournament today.”
When it comes to the key to get the victory against King Mo and advance to the final, it’s very simple for Vassell.
“Just be first and fight my fight. Finish him. It’s as simple as that. I can not fight his fight.”