Bryce
Mitchell has decided to take a short hiatus following his
brutal knockout loss to Josh Emmett
last month.
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Mitchell (16-2) stepped in on short notice, replacing an injured
Giga
Chikadze against Emmett (19-4) at
UFC 296. Emmett, known as one of the hardest punchers in the
entire sport, knocked out Mitchell with an overhand right in the
very first frame. As such, “Thug Nasty” has decided to go on his
own “concussion protocol” as a result, which will consist of a
six-month rest.
“I’m on my own concussion protocol. I’ll consult with my coaches,
too, and we’re basically just saying, ‘You know, don’t spar for six
months.’ I’ve got to [build a new house] and [expecting my first
child], but then I’m right into my next training camp after that.
The good thing is that I don’t have to rush into it,” the
29-year-old told ESPN.
Sherdog’s 2023 “Knockout
of the Year” was also the first KO of Mitchell’s career. The
featherweight was seen convulsing on the canvas, which expectedly
left his near ones very concerned.
“The worst part is dealing with everybody afterward, because they
all thought I was dead. Everybody that I knew was crying. On the
bright side, that was the easiest fight for me. I’ve never had a
fight where I’ve come out feeling so great. 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.”
This was Mitchell’s second loss in three outings, with the other
coming against Ilia
Topuria, who is now set to compete for the featherweight title
at
UFC 298.