Bryce Mitchell has publicly condemned the upcoming UFC event at the White House, calling it inappropriate use of national resources during a time of global conflict and criticizing the focus on a birthday celebration for Donald Trump. Mitchell also confirmed he has been denied entry to the event after past comments about Hitler were taken out of context, insisting he is a proud American farmer who has been unfairly maligned. He separately revealed that Sean Strickland visited him during his weight cut ahead of his fight this weekend, crediting Strickland with lifting his spirits.
Bryce Mitchell has gone public with sharp criticism of the upcoming UFC event at the White House, while also revealing he has been barred from attending the occasion.
Mitchell, who carries an 18-4 record and competes as a southpaw out of Barata MMA, condemned the event as an inappropriate use of national resources at a time of global conflict. The 31-year-old Arkansas featherweight also took aim at the celebration's focus on a birthday for Donald Trump, framing it as misplaced priorities. Mitchell confirmed he was denied entry to the event, attributing the ban to past comments he made about Adolf Hitler that he insists were taken out of context. He described himself as a proud American farmer who has been unfairly characterized. Standing five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach, Mitchell is one of the more distinctive fighters on the roster — a relentless grappler who averages 3.24 takedowns and 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, with a striking accuracy of 59 percent that ranks among the sharpest in his division.
On a separate note, Mitchell revealed that Sean Strickland paid him a personal visit during his weight cut ahead of his fight this weekend, and credited the middleweight champion with helping lift his spirits during a difficult stretch of the camp.
Strickland, 35, holds a 31-7 record and currently sits atop the middleweight division as champion. The Xtreme Couture product stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and is known for exceptional volume, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Despite the reputations both men carry publicly, the visit painted a more personal picture of the relationship between two of the UFC's more outspoken American fighters.
Why it matters
- Mitchell's public criticism of a UFC-linked White House event puts him at odds with the promotion's leadership
- His confirmed ban from the event raises questions about fighter access and speech within the organization
- The Strickland visit adds a human dimension to Mitchell's fight week ahead of his bout this weekend
