Bryce Mitchell speaks out after opponent pulls out of scheduled bout
Bryce Mitchell posted on Twitter for the first time since his UFC 288 opponent pulled out.
‘Thug Nasty’ was scheduled to fight Jonathan Pearce before the latter pulled out of their May 6 matchup with an undisclosed injury. As a result, the UFC is looking for a new opponent so the No.11-ranked bantamweight can stay on the UFC 288 pay-per-view main card. Mitchell reacted to the news on Twitter by saying:
“They r lookin for a new opponent. I’m down to scrap!”
After competing on The Ultimate Fighter Season 27, Mitchell made his UFC debut in July 2018. The Arkansas native started his promotional tenure with six consecutive wins, solidifying himself as a potential future title contender. In December 2022, ‘Thug Nasty’ suffered a major setback with a brutal second-round submission loss against Ilia Topuria.
They r lookin for a new opponent. I’m down to scrap!
Bryce Mitchell has a new level of motivation after losing against Ilia Topuria
Bryce Mitchell's loss against Ilia Topuria was more than a slight blemish on his record. Topuria exposed several of Mitchell’s weaknesses, which the Arkansas native attributed to a severe case of the flu.
During an interview with James Lynch, Mitchell had this to say about the mental effects of his first professional MMA loss:
"You can't really get to the level of anger I'm at without getting your a** beat. You get your a** beat, you get to a whole new level of anger, a whole new level of pissed off, a whole new level of motivation. They say the sport has highs and lows. Well, the low, it's very low and you can't get that low in everyday life. If you get your a** beat one time, you'll be so mad, it'll change your life for months to come."
After losing at UFC 282, there was a short period where Mitchell declared he would never fight again. ‘Thug Nasty’ overcame those negative thoughts and returned to training for his bout against Jonathan Pearce. Unfortunately, the 28-year-old might have to wait longer before returning to the octagon. It’ll be intriguing to see if the UFC can find him a new opponent for UFC 288.
Watch Bryce Mitchell discuss his loss against Ilia Topuria below: