Bryce Mitchell: I Don’t Try To Out-Smart People, I Out-Stupid Them

UFC featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell has revealed how he attempts to get the better of other individuals during interactions and altercations.

Mitchell is certainly an interesting character. While the likes of Colby Covington and Sean Strickland have become known for making headlines with their controversial statements, it was “Thug Nasty” who stole the limelight with his recent remarks on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.

Among other things, Mitchell claimed the 2020 Presidential Election was rigged, said the 2017 Las Vegas shooting was an inside job, accused the government of attempting control through inflation, and suggested health care is not a “right.”

Given the controversial nature of the opinions he gave, it was unsurprising to see a portion of the MMA fanbase speak out against the rising featherweight. However, Mitchell won’t be concerned about any altercations or challenges, because he believes he has the perfect way to emerge victorious in every exchange: act stupid.

During an interview with UFC play-by-play commentator Brendan Fitzgerald, which took place a few weeks prior to his appearance on The MMA Hour, Mitchell discussed the perception that people have towards the intelligence of “Thug Nasty” and his fellow Arkansas natives.

“People look at that stat (Arkansas poverty) and look at that stuff, and they think because of the poverty they’re gonna be stupid,” said Mitchell. “Now, I would have to beg to differ. Because of the poverty, you’re gonna be really smart. You’re gonna learn to be efficient. I tell you what, you can look at it as an advantage… People look at a statistic about where I’m from and will naturally assume, ‘Oh, poverty—they’re stupid.’ That’s a great advantage for you.”

Harnessing that advantage, Mitchell believes the best tactic is to play along with what he perceives to be a misconception. Revealing his “secrets,” the #11-ranked UFC 145lber claimed the best way to handle altercations is to out-stupid the other side, rather than out-smart them.

“I’m giving away all my secrets, brother. Let me tell you this. Real easy trick for you, and I’ll just let you know this and you can use this anytime, and I guarantee you it’ll work. If you’re in any type of negotiation or something, some type of altercation, act stupid,” suggested Mitchell. “Don’t be the guy that acts smart; be the guy that acts stupid, like you kinda don’t know what’s going on and you’re kinda just—act slow, act stupid, even talk slow.

“You wanna see, ‘How does this guy treat a dumb man?’ A dude who he can completely take advantage of. You wanna see if they completely take advantage. You wanna see how this person really is,” continued Mitchell. “So don’t try to out-smart somebody, out-stupid them… If you’re gonna out-stupid somebody in a conversation, which I’ve done, you take them in circles and boy you keep that conversation so damn stupid they don’t even know what’s going on.”

Mitchell Targets Rise Up FW Ladder At UFC 272

While his beliefs and recent comments have no doubt divided opinion, Mitchell has certainly drawn more attention to himself ahead of his return to action.

Having not entered the cage since a 2020 decision win against Andre Fili, Mitchell will hope to pick up where he left off when he shares the cage with top-10 featherweight Edson Barboza. The pair are set to collide on the main card of this weekend’s UFC 272 pay-per-view.

While the Brazilian will be looking to rebound from his loss to Giga Chiakdze last year and prove he still has what it takes to compete towards the top of the ladder, Mitchell will hope to add an established name to his record and move closer towards title contention.

What do you make of Bryce Mitchell’s “act stupid” advice?

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