Bryce Mitchell
Active 2018–present · rated in 3 editions · peak overall 82.0
Scouting report
Securing only the second twister submission in UFC history against Matt Sayles at UFC on ESPN 7, Bryce "Thug Nasty" Mitchell made his name known. Hailing from Sherwood, Arkansas, Mitchell relies on a folkstyle wrestling base and submission transitions to control rivals on the canvas. His ground control is demonstrated by an 88 Wrestling grade, 92 BJJ, and an 82 Overall rating.
Peak ratings
By edition
Mitchell showcased folkstyle wrestling between 2020 and 2021, grounding and controlling Charles Rosa over three rounds at UFC 249 in Jacksonville and defeating Andre Fili by unanimous decision in Las Vegas. His top rides, guard passes, and submission transitions on the mat are reflected in a 92 BJJ and 88 Wrestling rating over these bouts.
In 2022, Mitchell dominated Edson Barboza over three rounds at UFC 272 before suffering his first career loss against Ilia Topuria at UFC 282. In September 2023, he bounced back by defeating Dan Ige with wrestling in Las Vegas, before suffering a first-round knockout loss to Josh Emmett at UFC 296. His takedown game and submission pedigree maintain his 92 BJJ and 88 Wrestling.
Bryce Mitchell and the Arkansas grappler who landed the twister
Bryce Mitchell was born in Texarkana and raised in Cabot, Arkansas, where he played basketball and wrestled at Cabot High School, placing second at the 7A state meet as a junior. He went on to study at Harding University and later earned a degree in economics. He appeared on The Ultimate Fighter: Undefeated, beating Jay Cucciniello before losing to Brad Katona in the semifinals, and was signed anyway. His signature win is a twister submission of Matt Sayles in 2019.
Mitchell's eight ratings
Boxing. His lowest striking number at 76. His first knockout in MMA came from ground elbows on Kron Gracie in 2024.
Kickboxing. The lowest at 74. Josh Emmett knocked him out in round one in 2023.
Wrestling. Strong at 88. He wrestled at Cabot High School and placed second at the state 7A meet as a junior.
BJJ. The best at 92 across editions. The Sayles twister was named Submission of the Year in 2019 by outlets including Sherdog and MMA Junkie.
Strength. Solid at 78. He beat Charles Rosa by unanimous decision in 2020.
Durability. Good at 84 in his best edition. He went the distance with Edson Barboza in 2022 and Dan Ige in 2023.
Cardio. Strong at 88 in his best edition. He beat Andre Fili and Dan Ige by unanimous decision.
Fight IQ. Good at 84 in his best edition. He beat Bobby Moffett in a Fight of the Night in 2019.
BJJ is where he is at his best
BJJ is the top number on his card at 92 in his best edition. The Matt Sayles twister in December 2019 was only the second twister finish in the promotion's history, and it took Performance of the Night and Submission of the Year awards from multiple outlets. He also won the Kron Gracie fight by ground elbows in the third round, so control on the mat plus a finishing touch is his main route.
He can be caught on the feet: Kickboxing
Kickboxing at 74 is the lowest of his eight ratings. Josh Emmett knocked him out in round one in 2023, and Ilia Topuria submitted him in round two in 2022, which shows how fast a fight can turn once he is not in control. Jean Silva submitted him with a ninja choke in 2025. Against a good striker who can stop the takedown, he has to find a way to get it down or absorb damage.
Keep exploring
Closest featherweight profiles to Bryce Mitchell, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Ricardo Lamasbest cardio 86 · weakest strength 78
- Kenny Florianbest bjj 86 · weakest strength 74
- Brian Ortegabest bjj 94 · weakest wrestling 74
- Movsar Evloevbest wrestling 94 · weakest kickboxing 80
- Featherweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Bryce Mitchell's strongest attribute, BJJ.
Draft Bryce Mitchell into your build
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Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Bryce Mitchell is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Bryce Mitchell's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.