Bryce Mitchell praised Adolf Hitler and got another UFC fight. It didn’t go well. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
(Chris Unger via Getty Images)
A turn of events that began with UFC veteran Bryce Mitchell praising Adolf Hitler culminated in his defeat on the mat at UFC 314, submitting to Jean Silva.
Silva secured the win with a ninja choke in the second round of the main card in Miami on Saturday, triumphing in a fight that had generated significant controversy. Following his victory, Silva emphatically shouted in Mitchell’s face.
The fight nearly concluded in the first round when Silva appeared to have Mitchell in a tight guillotine choke, but Mitchell managed to escape after a minute. Silva landed a significant blow early in the second round, leading to the eventual submission.
As many MMA enthusiasts and individuals familiar with the more unconventional aspects of the sports realm may recall, Mitchell sparked outrage beyond the fighting world when he expressed his admiration for Hitler on his podcast without reservation:
“I honestly think that Hitler was a good guy, based upon my own research, not my public education indoctrination … He fought for his country. He wanted to purify it by kicking the greedy jews out that were destroying his country and turning them all into gays.”
These comments elicited condemnation from even Dana White, who typically does not intervene when his fighters make controversial statements. The UFC President remarked, “I’ve heard a lot of dumb, ignorant s*** in my day, but this one’s probably the worst,” and noted, “That’s the problem with the internet and social media — you provide a platform for a lot of dumb, ignorant people.”
Despite the backlash, White still allowed Mitchell to compete at UFC 314. Mitchell later issued an apology, asserting that he is “definitely not a Nazi.”
Silva capitalized on the negative publicity leading up to the fight, inciting chants of “F*** Bryce Mitchell” at a press conference and leaving his opponent so unsettled that Mitchell claimed he struggled to sleep because the Brazilian had cast a spell on him with “a legion of demons” tormenting him and sending women to tempt him into infidelity.
Indeed. Truly.
For the UFC, it was all part of the marketing strategy, garnering additional attention for a main card bout between a lower-ranked UFC featherweight and an up-and-coming contender.
For comprehensive UFC 314 results, highlights, and round-by-round coverage, click here.