Bryce Mitchell picked up an necessary win in his bantamweight debut after outgrappling Mentioned Nurmagomedov for the higher a part of three rounds at UFC Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Issues didn’t begin out nice for Mitchell after he obtained clubbed with a few stiff punches after which ate a knee proper up the center that despatched him right down to the canvas. To his credit score, Mitchell survived after which simply deserted his putting all collectively earlier than taking Nurmagomedov to the bottom a number of instances.
Whereas he by no means actually threatened with a lot on the bottom, Mitchell’s management time and superior place obtained him the win with all three judges scoring the battle 29-28 in his favor.
“I’m proud of the win,” Mitchell stated afterwards. “That was truthfully my hardest battle ever. No matter Dana [White] and Hunter [Campbell] and Sean [Shelby] need, I’m right here to do. I by no means complain.”
With Mitchell pressuring early, Nurmagomedov blasted him with a few nasty punches together with a straight shot following by a counter hook that backed off the American. Mitchell lastly closed the gap and grabbed onto Nurmagomedov however couldn’t drag him to the canvas.
Mitchell as soon as once more obtained aggressive and he paid for it with Nurmagomedov completely timed a knee up the center that despatched the previous featherweight crashing to the bottom. Nurmagomedov adopted up with some floor and pound with Mitchell defending on the underside.
On the restart within the second spherical, Mitchell rushed throughout the cage and instantly introduced Nurmagomedov to the bottom after heading off a guillotine choke submission. From there, Mitchell began searching for an armbar after which an arm triangle choke however Nurmagomedov ultimately scrambled out of the place and reversed him to get again to his toes once more.
As soon as once more, Mitchell was determined to tug the battle into his world on the bottom however Nurmagomedov resisted earlier than an ill-fated spinning elbow lastly put him again on the canvas.
Just a few moments later, Mitchell was as soon as once more deep on a takedown nevertheless it was Nurmagomedov who snatched a guillotine choke that landed him within the mount. Mitchell slipped free and obtained again on high once more however he wasn’t creating a lot offense from a superior place.
Mitchell ultimately took the again and locked on the physique triangle however once more he wasn’t doing any actual harm. Nonetheless, his means to regulate Nurmagomedov on the bottom and by no means permitting the Russian any room to work helped him safe the victory.
The choice will get Mitchell again on observe after falling to Jean Silva in his earlier outing and he will get a recent begin in a brand new division after some ups and downs in his latest profession at featherweight.
