UFC on ABC 9: Bryce Mitchell vs Said Nurmagomedov

Bryce Mitchell’s bantamweight debut at UFC on ABC 9 turned into a tense, momentum-swinging battle against Said Nurmagomedov inside the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The opening round belonged to Nurmagomedov after he punished Mitchell’s aggressive entry with a perfectly timed knee that sent him crashing to the canvas. For a moment it looked like the fight might end early as Said poured on ground-and-pound, but Mitchell showed composure, survived the storm and made it back to his feet before the horn, his face already marked by the damage.

After that scare, the Arkansas native made clear adjustments in the second frame, abandoning wild exchanges in favor of wrestling pressure. He repeatedly changed levels, secured takedowns and worked from top position, advancing to side control and threatening with a kimura and later an arm-triangle. Though Said Nurmagomedov managed to reverse position briefly, Mitchell’s persistence paid off as he finished the round in control, evening the score and shifting the momentum firmly in his direction.

Everything came down to the final five minutes, and Mitchell wasted no time testing Nurmagomedov’s defensive grappling again. Even when Said latched onto a guillotine during a scramble, Mitchell stayed calm, slipped free and pressed his advantage on the mat. His chain wrestling wore Nurmagomedov down as he climbed to the back and controlled the Dagestani for most of the round, denying him the space to strike or escape, and leaving little doubt in the judges’ minds when the final horn sounded.

When the scores were read — all three judges giving it 29–28 — Bryce Mitchell raised his hands in relief, describing afterward how tough the test had been and calling it the hardest fight of his career. The win marked a successful and dramatic entry into the 135‑pound division for the American, who capped off his night by reciting a Bible verse from Ephesians 6:12 to the Abu Dhabi crowd before exiting the Octagon, a moment that showed both his grit and his character in victory.