Featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell possesses one of the most unique personalities in all of mixed martial arts (MMA), which is why fight fans shouldn’t be shocked to learn “Thug Nasty” recently choked a deer to death while hunting in the woods.
Mitchell, who is coming off a decision win over Dan Ige at UFC Fight Night 79, is no stranger to the outdoors. The Arkansas native owns his own farm and does a lot of training on his property. Mitchell also does quite a bit of hunting, but recently ran into a situation that called for his world-class grappling skills to take over.
During a recent appearance on the OverDogs Podcast, Mitchell confirmed a story in which he had to choked out a deer while hunting in the woods. It’s not the most humane story and probably something that will rub wildlife enthusiasts the wrong way, but it’s still a bizarre recollection of events even for someone like “Thug Nasty.”
“That happened,” said Mitchell. “Not like the biggest doe ever, but definitely not a small one. I was hunting with a crossbow and I had my scope electrical taped on there. I guess when I got out to the woods the tape wiggled loose and I was shooting and missing. I’m not kidding because my scope was taped on.
“I called the doe in for like two and a half hours. It fell asleep and I took a shot and I missed. I just climbed down the deer stand and I said I’m going to try to get my hands on it. I waited till it went back to sleep and I went real quiet down the deer stand and I was like, ‘F—k it, I’m going to do it.’
“Before I slid the choke in I texted my coach and I told him to help. Slid my left arm in and I proceeded to choke it to death.”
Mitchell, 29, is widely regarded as one of the best grappling specialists in the UFC’s featherweight division. Outside of his submission loss to undefeated sensation Ilia Topuria back at UFC 282, Mitchell is 7-0 as a member of the UFC roster. He’ll continue to get big fights as long as his ground game is being utilized, which “Thug Nasty” appears to be sharpening any which way he can.