Bryce Mitchell Set For Return Against Jonathan Pearce At UFC 288
A bout between Bryce Mitchell and Jonathan Pearce has just been confirmed for UFC 288 on May 6th at an undetermined location, per BRKRZ via Instagram.
This fight takes place in the Featherweight (145 lbs) division.
Bryce Mitchell holds a record of 15-1 (5-1 UFC) and is currently ranked #11 at Featherweight. He holds significant wins over Edson Barboza, Andre Fili, and Charles Rosa.
Jonathan Pearce has a record of 14-4 (5-1 UFC). He is currently unranked and holds noteable wins over Makwan Amirkhani, Darren Elkins, and Omar Morales.
Offical odds have yet to be released.
Bryce Mitchell will be looking to bounce back from his first professional loss, losing to Ilia Topuria at UFC 282 via second-round submission. Despite showing improved striking, he struggled to keep up with Topuria's power and pace, resulting in a knockdown before being submitted with an arm-triangle choke. Mitchell is an excellent ground fighter with slick submissions, and will look to use this to bounce back in style against Pearce.
Jonathan Pearce is coming off a dominant decision victory against Darren Elkins at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Holland. He beat Elkins everywhere during the bout, out-striking him on the feet and slamming him with ground-and-pound on that mat. Pearce has a great wrestling background and strong striking, which he'll look to use against Mitchell to secure the biggest win of his career.
This bout is an important one for the Featherweight division, with the winner setting themselves up for a potentially higher-ranked opponent next. So who are you taking in this elite Featherweight matchup? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction in the comments below.
