UFC 296 has a new exciting featherweight matchup that just got added to the card. The stacked card was set to feature a featherweight matchup between Josh Emmett (18-4) and Giga Chikadze (15-3). However, Chikadze tore his groin during training in the last few days and had to pull out of the fight.
Immediately, the UFC starting looking for a replacement and tonight they finalized that replacement. Per a release, top contender and former Ultimate Fighter standout Bryce “Thug Nasty” Mitchell (16-1) will be stepping in on short notice to take on Emmett.
Starting with Mitchell, he will be looking to pick up his second straight win. Last December, Mitchell suffered his first career loss when he was finished by Ilia Topuria. However, he bounced back strong with a big decision win against Dan Ige in September. Now, he’s looking to close out the year strong with a win over Emmett at UFC 296.
UFC 296
Josh Emmett entered 2023 riding a five-fight winning streak and he was booked for an interim title fight against Yair Rodriguez. Unfortunately, Emmett was finished in that interim title fight. He was then booked in a main event over the summer against Ilia Topuria and he was against dominated.
Now, he’s looking at two straight losses entering UFC 296. Bryce Mitchell is a drastically different opponent than the one that Emmett was preparing for. On the feet, it’s an easier fight, but Mitchell is one of the best grapplers in the featherweight division. This should be a very compelling matchup and I’m curious to see how this one plays out.