It’s been nearly a year since Bryce Mitchell last stepped foot inside the UFC cage, but he’s finally thrown his name back in the hat.
Arkansas’ UFC featherweight contender was recently given medical clearance to return from a hand injury suffered last October which required surgery. After some test runs in the gym, Mitchell (14-0 MMA, 5-0) has notified the UFC he’s ready to be booked for his next fight, his manager Matt Weibel of First Round Management told MMA Junkie on Friday.
While there’s nothing on the books yet, Mitchell and his team are hopeful for a January 2022 fight, which is in the timeframe of events the UFC is currently matchmaking for.
Mitchell, 26, is currently ranked No. 11 in the promotion’s featherweight rankings. In his most recent outing, Mitchell defeated divisional staple Andre Fili via unanimous decision at UFC on ESPN+ 39. The win was his fifth in as many UFC appearances.
Since his UFC debut in July 2018, Mitchell has grown a large fan base for his unique personality and slick Brazilian jiu-jitsu game. In December 2019, Mitchell earned himself “MMA Junkie’s 2019 Submission of the Year” for his first-round twister submission of Matt Sayles. Though dominant for much of his in-cage time in the UFC, the submission of Sayles remains his lone UFC finish.
‘Thug Nasty’ cleared: Bryce Mitchell eyes January UFC return after year off due to injury
