A former UFC heavyweight and current coach, Josh Barnett, accused Bryce Mitchell of sabotaging a fight announcement.
Itâs been almost a full year since polarizing UFC fighter Bryce Mitchell defeated Said Nurmagomedov at UFC Abu Dhabi in his bantamweight debut. Mitchell bounced back impressively following a brutal loss to Jean Silva at UFC 314, along with being the subject of serious controversy outside of the Octagon.
After UFC CEO Dana White hinted he ârootedâ for Mitchell to lose in 2025, Mitchell admitted his UFC future remains foggy, and that the former The Ultimate Fighter standout was considering retirement. At just 31-years-old, Mitchell walking away from MMA in the middle of his physical prime would be a shocking development.
If Mitchell returns to the Octagon, heâd likely return to the bantamweight division in hopes of potentially making another title run. In the meantime, a top-level Mixed Martial Arts coach seemed to hint at Mitchell delaying a potential fight announcement featuring one of his star pupils.
Josh Barnett to Bryce Mitchell: âPick up the penâ and fight Victor Henry!
In a recent post to X, former UFC heavyweight and current coach Josh Barnett threw shade at Mitchell.
âHmm. Itâs taking forever for [Victor Henryâs] possible opponent to sign the bout agreement. I hope he didnât fall off the edge of âFlat Earthâ on one of his fishing trips,â Barnett tweeted indirectly at Mitchell.
âVictor is waitingâŚ.pick up a pen.â
Mitchell vs. Victor Henry would be an intriguing stylistic matchup. As of this writing, Mitchell has yet to publicly respond to Barnettâs remarks.
Henry hasnât fought since a unanimous decision victory against Pedro Falcao in April 2025, following a loss to Charles Jourdain that snapped a three-fight unbeaten streak. After an impressive UFC debut win over Raoni Barcelos at UFC 270, Henry has shown flashes of being a potential Top 15 bantamweight.
As Mitchellâs UFC future remains a mystery, Henry and coach Barnett continue to wait for clarity. If a fight announcement becomes official, weâll be sure to update you on developments as they unfold
On brand.
Warmasters are not known for playing nice.
You simultaneously made both masters of war and brands sound gay af
Barnett wasnât even posting mean lol
Heâll always be the babyfat assassin