UFC 296 video: Josh Emmett flattens Bryce Mitchell with terrifying walkoff knockout

Josh Emmett displayed terrifying knockout power with his finish over Bryce Mitchell to kick off the UFC 296 main card on Saturday.

Following a pair of losses to start the year, Emmett desperately wanted to get back on track in the final pay-per-view card of 2023 and it’s safe to say he’ll be happy with this result. After a few back-and-forth exchanges on the feet, Emmett unloaded a brutal right hand that crashed into Mitchell’s chin and he fell in a heap to the canvas.

It was that much scarier as Mitchell was left unconscious and twitching on the ground for several moments before he finally got back to his feet before leaving the octagon on his own power. The official stoppage came at 1:57 in the opening round.

“I want to thank Bryce for taking the fight. He took it on two weeks’ notice,” Emmett said following the knockout win. “I am the most powerful featherweight in the world. It only takes one shot. It’s been a tough year for me. There was nothing stopping me from coming back in December. I’m f****** back!”

When the fight started it was Mitchell pressuring forward and trying to put Emmett on his backfoot but it didn’t take long for the Team Alpha Male fighter to establish himself in the center of the cage. With so much power behind every punch he throws, Emmett only had to unleash a couple of shots for Mitchell to back off and reassess his strategy.

Before Mitchell could do much of anything to turn the tables, Emmett detonated a nuclear bomb with his fist, which resulted in quite possibly the most devastating knockout of 2023. Emmett was understandably emotional afterwards as he got back in the win column following losses to Yair Rodriguez and Ilia Topuria earlier in the year.

Regardless of those setbacks, Emmett proved once again that he’s still one of the most dangerous fighters in the featherweight division with his jaw-dropping performance on Saturday.