A former UFC heavyweight and current coach, Josh Barnett, accused Bryce Mitchell of sabotaging a fight announcement.
It’s 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 ‘rooted’ 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, he’d 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: ‘Pick up the pen’ and fight Victor Henry!
In a recent post to X, former UFC heavyweight and current coach Josh Barnett threw shade at Mitchell.
“Hmm. It’s taking forever for [Victor Henry’s] possible opponent to sign the bout agreement. I hope he didn’t fall off the edge of ‘Flat Earth’ on one of his fishing trips,” Barnett tweeted indirectly at Mitchell.
“Victor is waiting….pick up a pen.”
Mitchell vs. Victor Henry would be an intriguing stylistic matchup. As of this writing, Mitchell has yet to publicly respond to Barnett’s remarks.
Henry hasn’t 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 Mitchell’s UFC future remains a mystery, Henry and coach Barnett continue to wait for clarity. If a fight announcement becomes official, we’ll be sure to update you on developments as they unfold.
Can Bryce Mitchell compete with the top UFC bantamweights? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
