Of all the eccentric fighters to ever step foot inside the Octagon, Bryce Mitchell easily ranks near the top. Hailing from Arkansas, he’s one of the finest athletes his county has ever produced—but it’s his outlandish beliefs about science, flat Earth theories, and angels and demons that spark constant debate. Fresh off a gritty win over Kron Gracie, “Thug Nasty” is set to return at UFC 314 for a showdown with the dangerous Jean Silva.

As the fighter prepares for battle, the MMA community has one question for Mitchell: What is his ethnicity? Stay tuned, as we reveal the answer in today’s montage.

What is Bryce Mitchell’s ethnicity and nationality?

Bryce Mitchell was born in Texarkana, Arkansas, and was raised in Cabot, which is in Arkansas as well. The fighter attended Cabot High School, where he played multiple sports, including basketball for the varsity team. However, where he excelled the most was wrestling. The soon-to-be UFC star placed second at the 7A state championships as a junior and fourth at the 6A state championships as a senior, paving the way for his MMA career.

After his high school, the fighter shifted to Searcy, Arkansas, to attend Harding University. It was in his school days that the fighter understood that he should be making a career out of fighting, and so he did. Well, he is American by nationality; however, when we dig through his name, we get a different picture.

His surname, ‘Mitchell’, is actually English and Scottish. Rooted in the Norman heritage, the surname traces back to ‘Michel’ or ‘Michael.’  It’s a patronymic surname, traditionally passed down to signify ‘son of Michael’ or a proud descendant of someone who bore that enduring name. Well, now that we know about his nationality and ethnicity, let’s have a look at his religious background.

All about Bryce Mitchell’s religious beliefs

Bryce Mitchell is a devout Christian. However, this was not always the case for the featherweight contender. There was once a time when ‘Thug Nasty’ was an atheist. Shocked? Well, it’s the truth. In one of his endeavors with the media, Mitchell confessed that he turned from atheism to Christianity after witnessing a demon being cast out of his ex-girlfriend by invoking Jesus’ name.

The experience, he claims, shattered his doubt and led him to embrace a life of faith. Now, Mitchell believes he’s been gifted with spiritual discernment, allowing him to sense evil that others can’t. Since then, he has been a devout follower of Jesus Christ. The fighter even showed his Bible to everyone after defeating Dan Ige. However, he later emphasized that he won’t carry his Bible to the Octagon ever again.

“I’ve got a bunch of positive feedback and I’m really happy about it. For future warning, I will not bring the Bible into the Octagon again. The Holy Spirit compelled me to do that in that fight. I felt like I was called to do it… I probably won’t be walking out with the Bible again,” said Mitchell in a conversation with MiddleEasy.

His deep love for Christ and the Bible has led him to believe that the Earth is flat and that science is a myth. Given that, Mitchell has always advocated for Jesus Christ in his fights. What are your thoughts on Mitchell? State your opinion in the comments below.