UFC 296 Fight Saved as Controversial Fighter Steps in on Short Notice

This fight may have gotten more interesting.

Bryce "Thug Nasty" Mitchell has stepped in on ten-days notice to fight Josh Emmett at UFC 296.

Former UFC Champ Hints at Short Notice Fight at UFC 296

Many fighters threw their hat in the ring to fight Emmett, including former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. Ultimately, "Thug Nasty" was the one chosen by the UFC to step in.

Mitchell confirmed his short-notice fight on his social channels on December 7.

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A post shared by Bryce Mitchell (@thugnasty_ufc)

Emmett's original opponent, Giga Chikadze, holds the #8 spot in the UFC's featherweight rankings. Emmett himself sits at #6, while Mitchell currently holds the #10 position. For Mitchell, this upcoming fight provides a chance to make a significant jump in the rankings, despite his momentum being completely halted by Ilia Topuria in 2022.

This fight presents a unique problem for Emmett, as Mitchell and Chikadze are stylistically polar opposites. Whilst Emmett was booked against a Georgian kickboxer, he now has to adjust for an American submission grappler.

Mitchell gained recognition for securing the second-ever twister submission against Matt Sayles back in 2019. "Thug Nasty" came close to executing the same submission multiple times in his very next fight. 

Not only has he made a name for himself through his impressive grappling skills, but Mitchell has also garnered attention for his in-cage antics. Notably, he held a bible in the air and shouted "freedom" before facing off against Dan Ige.

So despite the disappointment surrounding Chikadze's botched return, fight fans can still expect some entertainment value from the short-notice Mitchell.

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