Carl ‘Bad Water’ Seumanutafa is 10-6 in MMA, with nine wins via KO and one decision. However, he is also a brown belt under Jake Shields, and hopes to use his ground skills to his advantage tonight vs. Matt Mitrione at Bellator 157: Dynamite 2″ on Spike. That may prove difficult – the fighter has not enjoyed a back to back victory since 2011. However, Seumanutafa attributed the inconsistency to a lack of being able to train properly, which is not the case here. Plus, in the heavyweight division, one shot either way can end things in a hurry.

I know his ground game sucks; he doesn’t have a good ground game, said Seumanutafa to MMAjunkie. I’m a brown belt under Jake Shields, so the fight’s going to start standing, but eventually I’m going to take him to bad water. I like to stand up and fight, but most guys want to take me down, and when they get me on the ground, it’s a bad day for them.

If the fight goes on the ground, I’m pretty sure I’m going to finish the fight.

The fight is Mitrione’s Bellator debut, and only the second Bellator fight for Seumanutafa, who professed he was happily surprised at such a high-profile match up, so early.

My reaction? ‘F*** yeah I’ll fight that mother f***er,’ said Seumanutafa. That was it. I got a phone call, and that was it.

I’ve been training for Matt Mitrione for about nine weeks now, and like two weeks ago it felt like it was going in slow motion. It was hard for the fight week to get here. Now I’m here, and I’m just enjoying the moment.

Usually I (get) two weeks’ notice, a few days’ notice. Now I have nine weeks to prepare for him, so I’m ready to fight. I’m ready to finish.

He moves around like a little dude in a big body. I spar with a GLORY kickboxer. He moves around like a little dude, and he’s 6-foot-8. I have another sparring partner, and he’s 11-0 in boxing, in pro boxing.