Bryce Mitchell entered UFC 314 with strong belief in his victory against Jean Silva. However, the UFC Featherweight contender faced a different outcome in their fight in Miami.
Following an exciting main event, Jean Silva, despite being unranked, was given the opportunity to fight Bryce Mitchell, who is ranked #13 and whose only professional losses were against Ilia Topuria and Josh Emmett.
Mitchell had spoken openly about his internal struggles leading up to the fight and was dismissive of Silva`s pre-fight antics. He was determined to defeat the rising prospect.
The fight showcased a dominant ground performance, surprisingly from Jean Silva, not Mitchell, who is known for his grappling skills. Silva submitted Mitchell with a ninja choke in the second round. Mitchell tapped out, but seemingly late, as he appeared unconscious on the mat while Silva celebrated.
Bryce Mitchell: “I Had Nothing Left to Give” After Loss
Despite considering this fight the biggest of his career, Mitchell has faced defeat before. After the fight, “Thug Nasty” released a video message on Instagram stating, “I want to thank everyone for their support and let you all know I’m doing just fine. Thank God he protected me.”
Silva had previously stated his intention to inflict damage on Mitchell and potentially end his career.
Mitchell mentioned he didn`t sustain any significant injuries and is grateful for that, saying, “I didn’t lose my teeth. I don’t have any broken bones. So I feel good about that, and I fought as hard as I possibly could. I couldn’t have fought any harder.”
This marks the second time Mitchell has been finished in his career, the first being against Josh Emmett where he suffered convulsions after a knockout. Reflecting on this loss, Mitchell shared his biggest regret.
“I could have fought smarter,” Mitchell admitted. “I’m going to make some adjustments, but he put me to sleep. So, I had nothing left to give. I’m happy knowing I tried my best, but I need to improve. That’s the lesson here: I have to get better.”
Bryce Mitchell Initially Felt “Chosen by God” to Win
Mitchell expressed feeling overwhelmed by fan support leading up to the fight, a level of support he hadn`t experienced before.
Confident in his victory due to the intense “Good vs. Evil” narrative surrounding the fight with Silva, Mitchell stated, “I really thought that I was going to win the fight. I 100% believed it because I’ve never had a fight that big before, and I was like, wow, this fight is out of nowhere, just got this much hype. God’s chosen me to win this fight, but that wasn’t the case.”
Bryce Mitchell maintained a composed attitude after his previous victory against Kron Gracie at UFC 310, aware of the unpredictable nature of wins and losses in fighting.
The UFC Featherweight appears to be in positive spirits despite the recent loss in Miami.
Rupert Hartwell 
Benedict Kingsley