UFC bantamweight Bryce Mitchell has publicly defended Russell Brand after the British comedian and actor was convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. Mitchell posted a video on Instagram with a written statement and argued that Brand’s religious faith means he never harmed anyone.
“Russell Brand is my friend. hes not a rapist,” Mitchell wrote. He went on to describe Brand as a believer in Christ who hates the government, and said Brand is forgiven for all of his sins through faith, the same as every other believer. “he never hurt a child or a woman! i know this,” he added.
The caption then turned political. Mitchell wrote that “it is just a matter of time before this government enslaves us all” and added that “1776 is comin soon.”
What Mitchell Said in the Video
In the video, MMA Weekly reported, Mitchell explained that he and Brand met at a party and got along right away. He said the two still talk, and that Brand “came to the grand opening of my gym.”
Mitchell then rejected the verdict outright. He called the charges false, said they came from “a corrupted parliament with no evidence,” and claimed that the woman who accused Brand had stalked him. He also claimed the government encouraged people across the country to make false accusations so Brand could be imprisoned. Mitchell gave no evidence for any of this. A court found Brand guilty.
He finished with a line that reads like he expected the backlash, telling viewers that anyone who doesn’t like Brand doesn’t have to like him either.
Brand’s Sentence
On Monday, Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months. According to MMA Weekly, he is expected to serve at least two-thirds of that term, roughly seven years, before he can be considered for release.
MMA Weekly’s report didn’t include a statement from the UFC, and it didn’t mention a next booking for Mitchell. So right now the story is the post and nothing more. As of that report, there was no sign of any company response.
Quick Take
I spend most of my week arguing that people should watch what actually happened before they decide what happened. That principle works against Mitchell here. A jury heard the evidence on four complainants and convicted. Mitchell met Brand at a party, has a friendly relationship with him, and says “i know this.” Those things don’t outweigh a trial. Calling one of the women a stalker is worse, because he offered nothing to back it up and he’s saying it about a person a court has already sided with. He’s free to stand by a friend and pray for him. Rewriting the verdict is a different act, and Mitchell posted it to his own audience after a 10-and-a-half-year sentence came down.
