Well, that’s bullshit. Bryce Mitchell has pulled out of his UFC 288 bout against Movsar Evloev.
The news broke when ESPN Deportes reported that Mitchell is out with an undisclosed injury. Many are speculating that the strange marks on his body seen on UFC Embedded may have something to do with it. But, it’s Bryce Mitchell, weird things are to be expected and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
This would have been Mitchell’s bounce back fight since suffering his first loss at the hands of undefeated Ilia Topuria. This fight was in December of last year. Mitchell claimed he was not 100% in this fight, which he lost via second round submission.
Bryce Mitchell is out. So who is the guy?
UFC 288 will go ahead without Bryce Mitchell. But, Movsar Evloev remains on the menu, thanks to Diego Lopes. Lopes wrestled on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender series and put on a great performance. However, he was down before falling victim to a fight-ending glance and losing by unanimous technical decision just seconds into the third round.
Now that Diego has his chance in the UFC, what should fans expect? I’m glad you asked. What Diego brings to the table is heavy hands, great finishing ability, and something that could play very well in this fight, is a very active guard. He is currently on a two-fight winning streak and has finished both bouts via strikes. With only five days notice.
This isn’t a typical short-term UFC debut. Just as Arman Tsarukyan faced Islam Makhachev on short notice, Lopes is going up against a top fighter. Evloev is sitting high, ranked number ten in the featherweight division. He is 16-0 with his last win coming against Dan Ige.
Yes, it’s a shame Bryce Mitchell pulled it off, and we wish him a speedy recovery. But, let’s look at it with a “glass half full” mentality; Movsar Evloev is still on the card and we see how Diego Lopes, 28, tries to make the most of this opportunity.
