Bryce
Mitchell has retracted his controversial comments about Adolf
Hitler.
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A vocal flat earth theorist, Mitchell is known for his often-absurd
opinions on a variety of topics. “Thug Nasty” managed to spark up
controversy yet again in the very first episode of his Arkansanity
podcast, when the UFC featherweight labeled Hitler a “good guy” while going on an
antisemitic and transphobic rant.
Mitchell more recently issued a statement apologizing for his
insensitivity towards Holocaust victims in his comment. The
30-year-old made clear that he is not a Nazi and doesn’t stand by
any of Hitler’s actions during the Holocaust. Mitchell also vows to
be more sensitive while addressing those who have suffered in
future.
“I’m sorry I sounded insensitive,” Mitchell wrote on Instagram. “I
definitely was not trying to offend anybody, but I know I did. I
know that a lot of people died in the Holocaust, and that’s a fact.
Hitler did a lot of evil things, I think we can all agree on that.
I’m definitely not a Nazi, and definitely do not condone any of the
evil things Hitler did.”
“In the future I will [be] much more considerate [when] talkin
about the suffering of all peoples,” Mitchell added in the
caption.
Mitchell has faced plenty of criticism since his initial remarks,
including from UFC CEO Dana White, who strongly denounced his
comments during a press conference.
“[Mitchell] said probably…I’ve heard a lot of dumb, ignorant s–t
in my day, but this one’s probably the worst,” White said. “When
you talk about Hitler, who’s responsible for death of six million
Jews and he tried to complete eliminate a race of people…World War
II was the deadliest war in history. Fifteen million military
deaths, 45 million civilians and 25 million soldiers were killed in
World War II.
“Second of all, Hitler was one of the most disgusting and evil
human beings to ever walk the face of the Earth, and anyone that
tries to take an opposing position is a moron. That’s the problem
with the internet and social media. You provide a platform for a
lot of dumb, ignorant people. We’ve obviously reached out to Bryce,
and when we read what he said and let him know how we feel about
it, we’re beyond disgusted.”
However, White added that Mitchell wouldn’t face any punishment for
his actions, citing the fighter’s right to “free speech.” Mitchell
last appeared at UFC 310, where he defeated Kron Gracie
via third-round knockout on Dec. 7. The 30-year-old Arkansas native
is 8-2 during his promotional tenure.