Kicking off the main card of UFC 282 is an absolute banger in the featherweight division. Two top undefeated contenders will battle it out as Bryce “Thug Nasty” Mitchell (15-0) takes on Ilia Topuria (12-0).
Topuria made his UFC debut back in 2020 and he’s been flawless. He’s gone a perfect 4-0 with three of those wins coming via finish. He has scored a finish over Ryan Hill and then scored a big finish over Jai Herbert at UFC London earlier this year.
Since coming off the Ultimate Fighter, Bryce Mitchell has continuously looked better and better each time out. When he first debuted with the promotion, he was known mainly for his grappling. However, his striking has really come a long way and he showed that in his last fight.
Thug Nasty was able to drop and hurt Edson Barboza in their fight. Then, he was able to dominate the fight on the mat. He’s going to be a massive challenge for Ilia Topuria.
UFC 282 Prediction
When it comes to the striking and power in this matchup at UFC 282, the clear advantages are with Ilia Topuria. While Topuria is good on the ground as well, it’s pretty obvious that the advantages on the ground belong to Bryce Mitchell.
So, who wins out? I think that Bryce Mitchell is going to be able to do enough on his feet to survive with Topuria. I do think he’s going to land takedowns in this fight. Topuria has shown a good ability to get off his back, but I don’t see him getting up so easily against Mitchell.
Both of these men are going to have big moments at UFC 282 and this could easily be fight of the night. However, I like Thug Nasty here. His combination of decent enough striking with a suffocating and slick ground game earns him a decision in a big time scrap.
Prediction: Bryce Mitchell by Decision