Edson Barboza Agrees to Face Bryce Mitchell on March 5 UFC Card

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A newly announced Ultimate Fighting Championship card on March 5 will play host to a thrilling striker vs. grappler battle at 145 pounds.

MMA Junkie was the first to break the news on Thursday, reporting that Edson Barboza (22-10) will come to blows with Bryce Mitchell (14-0) on March 5. The two featherweights will toe the line at a previously unannounced UFC card on that date, which does not currently have a location or venue officially on the books. The pairing, which has been agreed upon but not formally signed, has since been confirmed by other outlets. No other matchups have yet been announced for the event, and it is not currently clear if this bout will serve as its headliner.

Feared Brazilian striker Barboza had a two-fight win streak snapped when Giga Chikadze knocked him out in August. The defeat put an end to clear-cut victories over Makwan Amirkhani and Shane Burgos, knocking the latter out to take home a “Fight of the Night” bonus. The former lightweight contender first relocated to the division in May 2020, where he faced Dan Ige and lost by contentious split decision. Over his storied career, the American Top Team standout has recorded victories over names like Anthony Pettis, Beneil Dariush, Dan Hooker and Paul Felder, among many others.

The undefeated Mitchell will put his 14-win streak on the line when he faces the toughest test in his career in Barboza. While Barboza celebrates 59% of his career victories by knockout, Mitchell has yet to stop a fighter in this fashion, with all of his finishes coming by tapout. “Thug Nasty” made his way to the promotion off of the 27th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” reaching the semifinals and competing on the Finale in 2018 to secure his spot with the UFC. Of note, the twister that Mitchell hit on Matt Sayles in 2019 clocked in as the second in UFC history, with the first Chan Sung Jung’s over Leonard Garcia in 2011.