The unmistakable crack of a high-speed, flesh-and-bone collision echoed through T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It was followed by the electric oohs and aahs that often accompany the sudden violence of hand-to-hand combat. Then came the hush of a collective apprehension. Bryce Mitchell lay supine, stiff and motionless for several tense moments. Convulsions followed. The unsettling scene became just another piece of the unkind truth associated with mixed martial arts: Sometimes, it can be hard to watch.
Mitchell was the unsuspecting victim of Sherdog’s “Knockout of the Year” at the final Ultimate Fighting Championship event of 2023, a crushing blow from Team Alpha Male’s Josh Emmett having separated him from his senses in the first round of their UFC 296 featherweight showcase on Dec.