All eyes will be on Thursday’s UFC 314 pre-fight press conference in Miami, though not necessarily for the main event.
There is a very good title fight atop the card, as former champion Alexander Volkanovski takes on Diego Lopes for the title vacated by Ilia Topuria (technically, Topuria will remain champion until the bell sounds, but for all intents and purposes, he has already left the featherweight building). But it’s another 145lb showdown that has carried more heat with it: Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva.
While Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett has been said to be the “People’s Main Event” at UFC 314, it’s Mitchell vs. Silva that has been making waves. Mitchell has gone down numerous rabbit holes in recent months, demonstrating, depending on your viewpoint, a concerning mix of zealotry and crazy, or simply devout belief in… well, everything he believes. From calling Hitler a “good guy to go fishing with,” attacking gay parents, claiming that space isn’t real, the Earth is flat, and everything in between, Mitchell has become one of MMA’s most divisive figures. Silva has offered a rational counterpoint: he doesn’t hate Mitchell, the Brazilian says, nor does he hope to hurt him any more than necessary. But as he made clear at Wednesday’s media day, he’s rather concerned about Mitchell’s contradictory beliefs, including being a follower of Jesus who is also sympathetic to Adolf Hitler.
No one expected this storyline in 2025. Mitchell has taken the fight far more personally of the two, likely spurring on by Silva’s antics at last month’s UFC 314 kick off press conference. That included Silva showing up holding a globe to taunt Mitchell over his anti-science beliefs. What will he have in store for Bryce Thursday? Tune in above to find out.
