UFC Vegas 118 winner Bryce Mitchell feels at home at bantamweight

Bryce Mitchell secured a dominant submission victory over Santiago Luna at UFC Vegas 118, forcing Luna to tap to an arm-triangle choke with just seconds remaining. Luna, who entered on short notice as a replacement for the injured Victor Henry, proved game but could not withstand Mitchell's superior grappling throughout the bout.

Mitchell (19–3) has found his footing at bantamweight following his move down from featherweight last year. After a brutal knockout loss to Jean Silva at 145 pounds, "Thug Nasty" dropped to 135 and has now won both his outings in the division. His path includes a 2022 loss to future two-time champion Ilia Topuria, but he has steadily rebuilt since then.

In a post-fight interview, Mitchell expressed relief at his new home at bantamweight, where he feels more naturally sized compared to featherweights who often walk around significantly heavier on fight night. "I think I'm just less undersized," Mitchell said. "I don't think that I'm the bigger guy in there. I just think that I'm used to being the smaller guy, but now I'm just medium size. So, it makes me look bigger. Thank God I'm not fighting guys that are 200 pounds. I'm a real '35er." Though the fight lacked sustained excitement outside the finish, Mitchell acknowledged his arm fatigue from controlling Luna throughout. "I'm really grateful, especially to get the finish," he added.