“I honestly think that Hitler was a good guy based on my own research, not my public education indoctrination. I do really think before Hitler got on m–h, he was a guy to go fishing with,” said Bryce Mitchell on the debut episode of his podcast Arkansanity on YouTube last month. The 145fer’s remarks, in which he appeared to praise the Nazi dictator for “kicking the greedy” Jews out of Germany, sparked immediate outrage worldwide. Both Jewish and non-Jewish communities condemned his comments, including UFC light heavyweight contender Jan Blachowicz.

While expressing his anger, the former 205lbs champ extended an invitation to Mitchell for an “educational tour” of Polish cities like Warsaw—locations that bore witness to the Nazi regime’s atrocities against millions of Jews during World War II. UFC CEO Dana White also reacted to Mitchell’s controversial statement, denouncing Hitler as “the most evil human being” to ever walk the earth. However, despite the severity of ‘Thug Nasty’s’ comments, White chose not to take disciplinary action, stating, “It’s free speech.”

While the UFC refrained from penalizing Mitchell, YouTube took swift action by removing the episode from its platform. An MMA-focused page on X reported the takedown, posting: “Bryce Mitchell’s ‘Hitler was a good guy’ podcast episode has now been removed by YouTube ❌.”

Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany during World War II, was responsible for annexing Polish cities such as Gdańsk, Warsaw, and Kraków while orchestrating the Holocaust, in which millions of Jews were murdered. Now facing widespread backlash over his remarks, ‘Thug Nasty’ finds himself in a position where an apology seems inevitable. Let’s hear it from Bryce Mitchell himself.

Bryce Mitchell issues an apology for his pro-Hitler remarks

Bryce Mitchell capped off 2024 with an impressive victory at UFC 310, delivering a brutal elbow knockout against Kron Gracie. Holding an 8-2 UFC record, with his only losses coming against top dogs like Ilia Topuria and Josh Emmett, his career seemed to be on the rise. However, that momentum took a sharp turn when he faced backlash—including from Dana White—over his controversial pro-Hitler remarks. Looking to ease the outrage, the Arkansas native took to Instagram to issue an apology.

“I’m sorry I sounded offensive,” Mitchell wrote. “I definitely was not trying to offend anybody, but I know I did.” He continued, “I know a lot of people died in the Holocaust, and that’s a fact. Hitler did a lot of evil things, I think we can all agree on that. I’m definitely not a Nazi, and I definitely do not condone any of the evil things Hitler did.”

As of now, Mitchell remains without a scheduled fight. However, his controversies extend beyond his podcast. Just last month, he made headlines by attending Donald Trump’s inauguration event at Capitol Hill, where he claimed to have prayed alongside UFC superstars Conor McGregor and Jon Jones.

He also mentioned meeting “my buddy @patrickbetdavid, made buddies with @miketyson and @vincevaughn04 and also said hey to @jimmylevy!!” Do you think ‘Thug Nasty’s’ remarks were a misguided mistake, or was this a calculated move to draw attention to his newly launched podcast, Arkansanity? Share your thoughts below!