Get to know TUF Cast: Bryce Mitchell (2025)

A man ready to give it his all, when opportunity calls. Meet undefeated Bryce Mitchell. pic.twitter.com/Ws3Sk5dTxs

The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) May 7, 2018

At just 23 years old, Bryce Mitchell has done everything he’s needed to do to get a call from the UFC. Yet despite 14 amateur fights and a 9-0 pro record, Mitchell was on the fence when it came to staying on the regional circuit and waiting for the UFC, or taking matters into his own hands by competing for a contract on The Ultimate Fighter: Undefeated.

He chose TUF.

“If you look at it rationally, that’s the course that I was on,” he said of continuing to build his record until getting called up to the big show. “But man, it’s hard when you don’t really know for sure. You don’t know if they’re gonna call you. I’m in the middle of Arkansas, so I don’t know if they’re gonna call me or not. So when you have that opportunity (to go on TUF) there, I took it for my family, to better myself. It might not have been the best way, because it was hard as s**t. (Laughs) We beat the piss out of each other. But I’d have been a fool to turn it down. It’s the best thing that ever happened for me.”

That’s okay, because we’re sure Mitchell has been through some tougher times battling it out in the front and backyards of Cabot, Arkansas.

“Oh, for sure,” he laughs. “I’ve taken ass whuppings in the backyard, and I’ve given some as well.”

Get to know TUF Cast: Bryce Mitchell (1)Get to know TUF Cast: Bryce Mitchell (2)It was in those unconventional environments that Mitchell got his MMA education. But the question is, how did his mom react to having a makeshift fight promotion going on?

“Whenever we were having legit boxing matches in the backyard or front yard, we make sure the parents aren’t home,’ said Mitchell. “When I was 16, I started to train in my garage a little bit and I got some pads and put them on the garage floor. I told my mom we’d just be doing drills and stuff and most of the time we would be. But sometimes we’d get to sparring and I’d close the garage door and we’d bang into the garage and she’d come out pissed off. ‘What are ya’ll doing in here?’ We’d tell her we just tripped.”

Soon, though, the training got more serious and Mitchell wanted to test himself in a real MMA fight. There was one problem. His mom didn’t care for the sport and Mitchell needed her to sign a permission slip because he was 17.

“I couldn’t get her to sign the papers,” Mitchell recalled. “Then we got into a fight over grades because she told me my grades were slipping. My grades were fine, she’s just real picky. But she got so mad at me, she said, ‘You know what, Bryce? You need discipline. I’ll sign that paper. You give me that paper right now and I’ll sign it and I hope you do get your ass whupped.’”

Sounds like we found the real fighter in the family.

“She is, you ain’t kidding,” laughs Mitchell.

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And while his mother called his coach the next day, saying she didn’t mean to sign the permission slip, he got his fight and the rest is history. And no, mom still doesn’t watch her son fight, but he has caught her watching TUF this season.

“My mom, she won’t watch at all,” Mitchell said. “My papaw, he loves it. He comes to all my fights and if I get a win, sometimes I’ll go up to him and it looks like he’s got tears in his eyes. He gets a thrill out of watching me and I get a thrill out of him being there. But my mom, she don’t like it at all. It’s pretty funny, but she’s actually been watching the show.”

She should, as Mitchell is already garnering a fan following to go along with his obvious talent. And hey, he is going back to Harding University for his Economics degree in the fall, and he only has 15 hours left, so he is listening to his mom about the importance of an education. But in the immediate future, it’s all about fighting, and if Mitchell does get that call from the UFC, he believes he’s ready for it.

“I might be wrong, but I’ve had plenty of fights,” he said. “I’ve been fighting since I was a little kid in the backyard and had 20-plus MMA fights and I think I’m ready. I really do. We’ll see if I get that chance, and I’ll take it.”

Get to know TUF Cast: Bryce Mitchell (2025)

FAQs

What happened to Bryce Mitchell? ›

“I just woke up in the ambulance and barely remembered what happened. There's no pain, I'm telling you. But everybody was crying, and they thought I was dead; I'm not exaggerating.” Following a decisive right hand from opponent Josh Emmett, Mitchell collapsed to the canvas, experiencing convulsions.

Who defeated Bryce Mitchell? ›

Mitchell faced Ilia Topuria on December 10, 2022, at UFC 282. He lost the fight via submission in round two. Mitchell was scheduled to face Jonathan Pearce on May 6, 2023, at UFC 288. However, Pearce was forced to withdraw from the event due to injury, and was replaced by Movsar Evloev.

How much does Bryce Mitchell get paid? ›

Mitchell's current base pay is $50,000. In his bout at UFC 282, Bryce Mitchell faced off against Ilia Topuria. He made a total of $78,000 from the fight despite losing. A $72,000 base salary and an additional $6,000 from sponsorship agreements made up this income.

Will Bryce Mitchell ever fight again? ›

Mitchell is certainly paying attention to it, now, as he told ESPN that he is taking his own health seriously by entering his 'own concussion protocol. ' Bryce Mitchell revealed that he won't fight for the first half of 2024, as he recovers from K.O.

How long was Bryce Mitchell out for? ›

In the aftermath, Mitchell is taking his health seriously, telling ESPN he's in his "own concussion protocol." "I'll consult with my coaches, too, and we're basically just saying, 'You know, don't spar for six months,'" Mitchell said.

Is Bryce Mitchell a farmer? ›

UFC featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell, who goes by the moniker "Thug Nasty," is outspoken about his lifestyle as a farmer when he is not competing in the Octagon.

What rank is Josh Emmett? ›

He currently competes in the Featherweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2011, Emmett has also competed for King of the Cage. As of January 23, 2024, he is #7 in the UFC featherweight rankings.

Who is the highest-paid UFC fighter? ›

Conor McGregor is the highest-earning UFC Fighter of all time. The former two-division champion has raked in $39.3 million from his fights. This doesn't include Pay-Per-View earnings or endorsements.

What is a UFC fighter's salary? ›

Ufc Fighter Salary
Annual SalaryHourly Wage
Top Earners$112,000$54
75th Percentile$78,500$38
Average$68,448$33
25th Percentile$52,000$25

How rich is Dustin Poirier? ›

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Dustin Poirier has a net worth of approximately $6 million. Poirier also currently sits sixth on the UFC's all-time post-fight bonuses rankings; having earned a whopping 15 post-fight bonuses across his illustrious career – including a Fight of the Night bonus at UFC 302.

Has Bryce Mitchell retired? ›

'I was being really hard on myself' – Bryce Mitchell clarifies retirement talk after UFC 282 loss. Bryce Mitchell is deciding against retirement after suffering the first loss of his professional career. The UFC featherweight was submitted by Ilia Topuria at UFC 282 this past December.

Who got knocked out at UFC 296? ›

UFC 296 results: Josh Emmett absolutely crushes Bryce Mitchell in devastating walkoff KO. Josh Emmett created one of the most brutal one-punch knockouts in recent memory at UFC 296.

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