Featherweight contenders Josh Emmett and Bryce Mitchell opened the pay-per-view portion of UFC 296 in Las Vegas.
Emmett came into the fight trying to bounce back from the first losing streak of his career. However the competition had he lost to were the two most recent challengers for the belt at 145lbs. Bryce Mitchell is not yet of that caliber, as evidenced by his still-recent loss to Ilia Topuria, but his grappling-heavy style represented a challenge which Emmett is largely unfamiliar with, making for an interesting stylistic clash against Josh’s inhuman power.
In the end, this particular clash was over quickly, and in stunningly violent fashion.
Bryce Mitchell pressed forward towards Emmett to start the bout, but neither opened up to begin with. The moment that they did let their respective hands go, Josh Emmett put Bryce Mitchell to sleep with a monster overhand right, thrown over top of a Mitchell straight right. Mitchell was out cold, hitting his head on the mat on the way down. Emmett stood over him for a moment, victorious.
In a scary moment after the finish, Mitchell began to seize up on the floor, his limbs shaking— a scene somewhat surprising to see on the broadcast, with cameras lingering longer than expected. Eventually, Mitchell was able to sit up, and walk out, though not entirely under his own power as he had to be assisted by medical staff.
One of the all-time most brutal KOs in UFC history, care of Josh Emmett.
JOSH EMMETT PUTS BRYCE MITCHELL TO SLEEP 😱😱😱 #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/bqdkSZSzw7
— UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2023
