Controversial UFC star reportedly makes major change for next fight after viral loss

This former top contender will return to the divison where he started his pro career.

(Zuffa LLC)

The upcoming UFC Fight Night card in Abu Dhabi will see a controversial featherweight staple drop down to the bantamweight division for the first time in the UFC.

Scheduled to take place at Etihad Arena on July 26, UFC Abu Dhabi is headlined by former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker and former two-division ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder.

The card is also rumored to feature another pair of huge fights between Movsar Evloev and Aaron Pico as well as Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee, and now UFC Abu Dhabi has reportedly added another high-profile matchup in the bantamweight division.

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Robert Whittaker fights against Paulo Costa during UFC 298 at Honda Center. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Bryce Mitchell Changes Divisions For UFC Abu Dhabi

According to the report from Red Corner MMA, former top-ranked featherweight Bryce Mitchell will make his return to bantamweight for the first time since his pro debut to meet Said Nurmagomedov and UFC Abu Dhabi.

One of the more outspoken and controversial fighters on the UFC roster, Mitchell was a featherweight competitor on The Ultimate Fighter 27 and began his UFC career with six-straight wins before he ran into future divisional kingpin Ilia Topuria at UFC 282.

Jean Silva (blue gloves) reacts during his fight against Bryce Mitchell (red gloves) during UFC 314 at Kaseya Center. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

“Thug Nasty” rebounded against Dan Ige before coming out on the wrong end of a viral knockout against Josh Emmett later that year, and after defeating Kron Grace at UFC 310 the former top-ranked featherweight was most recently choked unconscious by surging contender Jean Silva in April.

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Said Nurmagomedov Looks To Avoid First Losing Streak

Mitchell’s first bantamweight outing since 2015 will see the 30-year-old try and hand Nurmagomedov what would be the first back-to-back losses of the veteran's MMA career.

No relation to UFC Hall of Famer Khabib or current top bantamweight contender Umar, Nurmagomedov put together an impressive 7-2 record through his first nine fights with the UFC before an extended layoff that kept him out of action from late 2023 until early 2025.

Said Nurmagomedov (red gloves) fights Jonathan Martinez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Virgin Hotel. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The 33-year-old returned in February to meet Vinicius Oliveira, and while both men took home bonuses for participating in the card’s “Fight of the Night” it was Oliveira who got his hand raised via unanimous decision.

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Fans are still waiting on confirmation of the Evloev vs. Pico and Yan vs. McGhee matchups for UFC Abu Dhabi, but with the addition of Mitchell vs. Nurmagomedov the card on July 26 is currently shaping up like this:

• Main Event: Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder

• Nikita Krylov vs. Bogdan Guskov

• Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-André Barriault

• Amanda Ribas vs. Tabatha Ricci

• Asu Almabayev vs. Ramazan Temirov

• Ibo Aslan vs. Billy Elekana

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