LAS VEGAS \u2013 It’s safe to say Bryce Mitchell made the right call in leaving the featherweight division.<\/p>\n
Mitchell (19-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) dropped to bantamweight a year ago after 10 years, the majority of his fighting career, fighting at 145 pounds. Changing weight classes is not always a recipe for success, but Mitchell things have worked out, as he’s now 2-0 in his new weight class with his latest victory coming at UFC Fight Night 278 (Paramount+) \u2013 which took place Saturday at the Meta APEX. Mitchell took the undefeated from Santiago Luna (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in a submission victory.<\/p>\n
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“Thug Nasty” is happy in his new home.<\/p>\n
“I just feel matched,” Mitchell said at the UFC Fight Night 278 post-fight press conference. “I don’t feel big, but I definitely don’t feel small. And I feel like when I get my grips, I can take anybody down in that weight class. And I don’t think size will be a disadvantage. I think it’s an equal playing field, whereas I was really outsized at ’45.”<\/p>\n
Mitchell’s realization of being in the wrong weight class came in his last fight in the division, a bout he lost to top title contender Jean Silva.<\/p>\n
“It wasn’t until I fought Jean Silva. It was in the second round when I got a good hold of his waist, and I was like, ‘He’s just too big to lift up,'” Mitchell said. “And after fighting Jean Silva, I really felt his presence, and his body weight really wore me down.”<\/p>\n
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But it’s not just about not giving up a size advantage. Mitchell also sees the division having more opportunities compared to featherweight.<\/p>\n
“Not just weight,” Mitchell said. “I think that reach. I think there’s more opportunity in the ’35 division. I think those are some of the biggest factors. I have a good frame for ’35, whereas at ‘\u00e64’5 there are people that are taller and weigh more. It’s just hard to get up there in that \u00e645 division. There’s a lot\u00a0of names, whereas ’35, there’s more openings for me.”<\/p>\n