Josh Emmett, a well-known name in the UFC, has got some good news. He’s staying on the UFC 296 card.
Surprised? Well, there’s more. The Las Vegas-based promotion made an announcement on Wednesday. Bryce Mitchell is stepping in to replace the injured Giga Chikadze.
Chikadze was supposed to face Emmett in a featherweight bout. But, a torn groin during training put him out of the game. The match is set for Dec. 16 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Mitchell, on the other hand, isn’t a newbie. He made quite an impression in his first appearance of 2023. He outpointed Dan Ige at UFC Fight Night 228 on Sept. 23.
But, it’s not all roses for Mitchell. He’s known as “Thug Nasty” and has lost once in a total of 17 professional outings. He was defeated in a second-round submission by Ilia Topuria at UFC 282.
Emmett? He’s had a rough patch. He’s coming off back-to-back losses against Ilia Topuria and Yair Rodriguez in his last two Octagon appearances.
UFC 296 isn’t just about Emmett and Mitchell, though. It’s headlined by a welterweight championship clash between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington.
Where does Emmett vs. Mitchell fit in? It’s currently slated for the preliminary draw. You can catch it on ESPN2 and ESPN+ starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.