After his fight with Bryce Mitchell was promoted to the UFC 296 main card late in the week, Josh Emmett delivered a big kickoff to the card when he scored a shocking first-round knockout.
Mitchell entered the fight as the favorite at the betting window, in part due to his reach and formidable grappling. But Mitchell never got a chance to employ either tool before he found himself dropped to the canvas.
Emmett scored the finish at the 1:57 mark of Round 1 after unloading an overhand right that connected cleanly to Mitchell’s jaw.
“I am the most powerful featherweight in the world,” Emmett said after the fight. “It only takes one shot.”
After being returned to consciousness, Mitchell remained on unsteady legs as UFC officials helped him walk to the locker room.
Mitchell took the fight on short notice when Emmett’s original opponent, Giga Chikadze, was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury.
The win was a big one for Emmett, who entered Saturday with an 0-2 record in 2023. After losing an interim featherweight title bout to Yair Rodríguez, Emmett suffered a decision defeat to Ilia Topuria in June.
The win was also Emmett’s first stoppage victory since he stopped Mirsad Bektic with strikes in July 2019.
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