NEW YORK -- Bellator heavyweight Matt Mitrione has lived a charmed life, with stops throughout his 38 years as an NFL player professional mixed martial artist and even an inventor with multiple patents. 

Mitrione (11-5) has also showed a strong ability on the microphone since joining Bellator in 2016 after a 14-fight run in UFC. But the best skill in the tool box of the self-described "Meathead" just might be his ability to tell stories.  

Just days before his return against legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko in the co-main event of Saturday's Bellator NYC pay-per-view from Madison Square Garden, Mitrione sat down with CBS Sports during an appearance on the "In This Corner" podcast.

While the Emelianenko fight offers Mitrione, who admittedly has had an MMA career filled with equal highs and lows, an opportunity for his most important victory to date, Mitrione is still best known for being the guy who defeated Kimbo Slice in the backyard fighting legend's final UFC appearance.

The fight took place at UFC 113 in 2010, just six months after both Slice, whose real name was Kevin Ferguson, and Mitrione wrapped up a season as housemates on "The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights" reality series. Mitrione, a southpaw, proved far too awkward and tough for Slice and finished him via second-round TKO in Montreal. 

But Mitrione looks back on his days in the TUF house with Slice with incredible fondness, instantly citing Slice's ability as a chef to make a knockout mix of tangy and spicy barbecue sauces. One year after Slice's untimely death at 42, Mitrione shared his favorite go-to story about his time with Slice. 

"We are sitting around towards the end of 'The Ultimate Fighter' and a handful of us are listening to Kimbo," Mitrione said. "[It was like], 'Let's see what kind of pearls of wisdom he is going to give us.'" 

Slice had come to UFC following a four-fight run with Elite XC, in which he was launched into the living rooms of mainstream America through fight cards that aired on network television with CBS. In fact, Slice's victory over James Thompson in 2008 was watched by 6.51 million viewers. 

"[Slice] was talking about how things are going to be different after this fight, especially for those who stay with the UFC," Mitrione said. "He said, 'You are going to travel a lot more and the attention is going to be different. I'm going through it now, I can tell you about what I experienced.'"

Slice was quick to then share his most thoughtful form of wisdom to any fighters who were set to leave home for the first time.  

"He said, 'For those of you who will be traveling and not sticking around, if you have any questions about your girl, I got something for you that will put your mind at ease or give you something you need to know,'" Mitrione said. "He looks around the room and has us all staring at him. 

"He said, 'Before you leave, go to the master bedroom and go to the master bathroom. Lift up the toilet seat. Wipe everything down totally clean. Bleach wipe it. When you come back, no matter how long it has been, the first thing you need to do is go to that master bathroom. If there is some piss dribble on that seat, some dude has been stepping into your bedroom.'"

Eight years later, Mitrione still finds himself dying in laughter when telling the story, recalling the stunned look on the faces of each one of the TUF housemates. 

"He took us to church, dude," Mitrione said. "As soon as it came out we were like, 'Oh my God.' Literally, all of us were just like, 'Ohh …'"

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