Bryce Mitchell Faces Danger in Bantamweight Debut Against Said Nurmagomedov
Alright, fight fans — we’ve got an exciting matchup on our hands this weekend as Bryce “Thug Nasty” Mitchell is set to take on Said Nurmagomedov at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi. And this one has all the ingredients for a wild, early finish.
Now, Mitchell is making a pretty bold move. At 30 years old, and after a decent run at featherweight, he’s dropping down to bantamweight for the first time. It’s not a move you see often at that age, but he's clearly looking for a reset after dropping two of his last three fights. Even so, Mitchell’s grappling credentials are nothing to sneeze at — 27 takedowns landed in his UFC career and a strong history of dominating on the mat. But there’s a catch: his last fight against Jean Silva exposed some serious holes, especially in his takedown setups. He got caught in a guillotine multiple times before finally being submitted in the second round.
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Enter Said Nurmagomedov — a dangerous striker and, as it turns out, quite the opportunistic submission artist. Three of his last four wins have come via guillotine or front choke — exactly the type of technique Mitchell has struggled against. While Mitchell may have the edge in pure wrestling, Nurmagomedov is slick during scrambles and has a nasty habit of snatching necks in the blink of an eye. Combine that with his spinning strikes and sharp stand-up, and he’s a serious threat to anyone looking for a takedown.
The odds are close, with Mitchell sitting as a slight favorite at -145 and Nurmagomedov at +120, but there’s a good reason many analysts are leaning toward the Russian. Simply put, his path to victory is much clearer — especially if he can keep it standing or capitalize on a poor shot from Mitchell. Plus, Nurmagomedov’s recent fights have mostly ended early, and Mitchell’s last three bouts have all wrapped up in under two and a half rounds. That’s why many see the best value in betting on an early finish — and likely in Nurmagomedov’s favor.
So while Mitchell could pull off a vintage performance with his submission skills, the real storyline heading into this fight is whether or not he can survive the first ten minutes — because if he can’t, Nurmagomedov might just wrap it up with another slick choke or a perfectly-timed strike.
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