Bryce Mitchell delivered a dramatic finish at UFC Vegas 118, submitting unbeaten bantamweight prospect Santiago Luna with just eight seconds remaining in their fight Saturday night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Just as we figured, his “soapy nipple” injury did not hold him back at all.
Originally scheduled to face Victory Henry, Mitchell instead took on the undefeated 21-year-old Luna after a late opponent change. The short-notice matchup proved risky on paper, but Mitchell controlled much of the action with his wrestling and grappling.
Luna had moments of success throughout the contest, yet Mitchell consistently dictated where the fight took place. His pressure paid off late in the third round when he secured an arm-triangle choke to force the tap before the final horn.
The win continues Mitchell’s strong run since moving down to bantamweight and could put the former featherweight contender in line for a spot in the division’s Top 15 rankings.
After it’s all set and done, Bryce Mitchell gave respect to Santiago Luna in the post-fight interview. He gave him props for taking the fight on just a week’s notice.
“Hold his head up high. Do not hold your head down, Santiago. You’re a young champion, you’re a young warrior.”
Read the Full UFC Vegas 118 Results here.