Las Vegas, NV — Featherweight Josh Emmett delivered one of the most terrifying knockouts ever seen in the octagon at UFC 296, leaving Bryce Mitchell convulsing on the canvas after delivering a crushing right hand.
As scary as it was, it was still a big, much-needed win for the hard-hitting 145’er.
“It feels good, you know? This is the first time in my career that I was on a two fight skid, losing streak. I needed to get back in the win column, just remind people who I am,” Emmett (19-4) told media outlets including Cageside Press following the bout, which opened up the event’s main card at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “I’ve had a tough 2023, I fought super-tough opponents. My goal is to get back and fight for that world title. So there’s nothing that was stopping me from fighting tonight, December 16. I didn’t care who was in front of me, and there was nothing stopping me from winning.”
It was Mitchell, stepping in on short notice, who had the unfortunate honor of standing across from Emmett.
“I respect Bryce so much. This is the first time I’ve ever met him, he’s a great guy. His coaches are super nice. When I hit him and then I got excited and then I looked over and he’s still down, it’s hard to celebrate,” Emmett admitted. “I just wish him nothing but the best, I know he has a baby on the way, he’s building a house. We’re all trying to achieve the same thing. I wish no harm on my opponents, but at the end of the day if it’s him or I, I’m choosing me every day.”
It was some time before Mitchell got back to his feet, and he was on wobbly legs when he did so. It’s not the first time Josh Emmett has delivered a debilitating blow.
“I fee like I’ve delivered some bad knockouts before, and it takes the excitement away. I didn’t know he was that hurt, then I looked over and I see that, I’m like sh*t, I can’t celebrate. Because it’s tough, imagine what his coaches are looking at,” observed Emmett. “They’re seeing him in a very vulnerable spot, and I can’t even imagine his family, what they’re thinking.”
“He came back, he said he’s okay. I just hope he takes some time off. He’s a super-talented individual, and young, hungry, he’ll bounce back.”
Giga Chikadze was the man Emmett was supposed to face at UFC 296, only for the Georgian to withdraw from the bout. It appears Emmett has moved past the pairing.
“I want to get back to the title fight. Fighting these guys behind me, it’s just high, high risk for not a whole lot of reward. It does nothing for me, it’s just a risky fight,” he admitted. “I want to fight someone who’s going to get me back to that title fight. This is going to be my last run at a title. I think I have a long career ahead of me, but realistically, I want to make a run at that title.”
Should he get his way, Josh Emmett wants to face the current champ, Alexander Volkanovski, for gold, rather than someone like Ilia Topuria, the next man in line. That despite having a loss to Topuria.
“It would probably be Volk to be honest, and then I can defend it against Ilia. That would be the perfect story line. Just because Volkanovski was the pound-for-pound number one, he’s still pound-for-pound top two or three,” Emmett told Cageside Press. “He’s just such a good champion inside and outside of the octagon. I think him and I stylistically match-up really well, and that would be a perfect story line.”
Watch the full UFC 296 post-fight press conference with Josh Emmett above.
