LAS VEGAS – Josh Emmett feels he can get back in the title race, having snapped his two-fight losing streak in devastating fashion.
This past Saturday, Emmett (19-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) put the lights out on Bryce Mitchell (16-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in devastating fashion in the opening bout of the pay-per-view main card of UFC 296. Emmett connected with a brutal right hand that immediately knocked out Mitchell and needed no follow-up punches.
“It feels good,” Emmett said regarding his win at the uFC 296 post-fight press conference. “This was the first time in my career that I was on a two-fight skid. I needed to get back to the winning column. I just needed to remind people who I am. I had a tough 2023. I fought super tough opponents.
“My goal is to fight for that world title, so there’s nothing that was stopping me from fighting tonight. I didn’t care who was in front of me. There was nothing stopping me from winning.”
Earlier this year, Emmett was knocking on the door of a title shot on a five-fight winning streak with victories over names including Calvin Kattar, Dan Ige and Shane Burgos.
However, in February, he was submitted by Yair Rodriguez in a fight for the interim featherweight title and then was outpointed by top contender Ilia Topuria in June
At 38, Emmett knows there’s not a ton of time left for him. However, he does feel he has another title run in him and wants to get a big name next.
“I want to get back to the title fight,” Emmett said. “Fighting these guys behind me is high, high risk for not a lot of reward. It does nothing for me. It’s just a risky fight.
“I want to fight someone that gets me back to the title fight. This is going to be my last run at the title. I think I have a long career ahead of me, but realistically I want to make a run at that title and I want to be 100 percent all in. We’ve been working on a bunch of things, and I’m back to my roots, back to what got me to the UFC.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.
