Bryce Mitchell spent time with Sean Strickland ahead of his fight this weekend, crediting Strickland with lifting his spirits during his weight cut. Mitchell publicly criticized the UFC's planned event at the White House, calling it a misuse of national resources and arguing the country should be focused on more serious matters. Mitchell also confirmed he has been barred from attending the event, citing past controversial remarks that were taken out of context.
Bryce Mitchell made headlines this week when he publicly criticized the UFC's planned event at the White House and revealed he has been banned from attending, while also crediting middleweight champion Sean Strickland with helping him through the rigors of his current weight cut ahead of his fight this weekend.
Mitchell, known as "Thug Nasty," carries an 18-4 record and competes as a southpaw out of Barata MMA. The 31-year-old American stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach and has built his reputation as one of the more dangerous grapplers in his division, averaging 3.24 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He also posts a striking accuracy of 59 percent, among the higher marks on the roster.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion fighting out of Xtreme Couture, holds a 31-7 record and has earned a reputation for relentless output. The 35-year-old orthodox fighter stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Mitchell said time spent with Strickland ahead of the event helped lift his spirits during what has been a demanding camp.
On the political front, Mitchell went on record to call the White House event a misuse of national resources, arguing the country has more pressing concerns to address. He also confirmed he will not be in attendance, stating he was barred from the event due to past remarks that he says were taken out of context.
Why it matters
- Mitchell's ban from a high-profile UFC event adds a layer of controversy to an already polarizing card
- His public criticism puts him at odds with UFC brass ahead of a fight weekend, a potentially significant moment for his standing with the promotion
- Strickland's involvement, however informal, keeps the middleweight champion in the spotlight between his own competitive commitments
