"I am not kidding" - Bryce Mitchell reveals his friends and family thought he had died after KO against Josh Emmett

Bryce Mitchell was on the wrong end of one of the most brutal one-punch knockouts in MMA history against Josh Emmett at UFC 296 in December.

Mitchell accepted the bout on short notice after Giga Chikadze was forced out of his booked clash with Emmett due to injury. Despite the short-notice nature of the bout, many had picked 'Thug Nasty' to defeat his opponent on fight night.

But Emmett uncorked a trademark overhand right in Round 1 that connected flush with Mitchell's face and put him out cold. The knockout was far more severe than usual, with 'Thug Nasty' convulsing on the ground for periods of time as he lay on the canvas.

During a recent interview with ESPN MMA, the featherweight contender revealed that many of his friends and family thought that he had died after the catastrophic KO. He said this:

"The hardest part for me to deal with was [that] everybody was crying. They thought I was dead, and I'm not exaggerating. Like all my friends, I'm not kidding. Every one of them literally thought I was dead or something, they were all crying. I am not kidding you."

Bryce Mitchell continued:

"That bothers me, that's gonna motivate me. 'Cause I know now that it's not just me getting hurt. These people really care about me that are watching."

Watch the interview below from 8:00:

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Bryce Mitchell thanks Josh Emmett for not landing a follow-up punch at UFC 296

Josh Emmett's win over Bryce Mitchell at UFC 296 is one of the most brutal walk-off knockouts in MMA history. Although Emmett is known for his show-stopping power, his victory over 'Thug Nasty' was a reminder that fighting is a violent affair.

Mitchell has now thanked his opponent for restraining himself after landing the overhand right. He took to Instagram to share his thoughts following UFC 296, and stated that had he absorbed a follow-up punch, he may have lost his life.

Mitchell said:

"But I wanted to let y'all know that I am so happy with Josh Emmett. Because right after he knocked me out, he could have followed up with the hammerfist and it probably would have killed me."

He continued:

"He didn't even follow up with anything. He was just happy with his knockout and he walked away. I'm so gracious for that. I will forever remember that. I love that whole team. That Alpha Male team, I love every single one of you guys. Thank you for not hitting me extra, Josh."

Watch the video below: