[autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag] does not like how the U.S. government has handled the coronavirus outbreak.
The global pandemic has postponed three UFC events, and Mitchell thinks his May 2 fight against Charles Rosa is likely in jeopardy, too.
But Mitchell, who is currently completing his economics degree at Harding University, has an issue with the shutdown of “non-essential” businesses that has already affected millions of people and their ability to make an income.
Mitchell thinks the post-effects will spill over and cause chaos.
“If the economy shuts down, I’m just going to tell you, it’s not going to be pretty. Because the economy is what keeps this whole thing working,” Mitchell told MMA Junkie. “This society we got, the exchange of money back-and-forth between two parties, when that stops, when people can no longer exchange goods and services, and every man is left to fend for themselves, I think the (expletive) will get really ugly.
“So if the economy don’t pick back up, if the people don’t start buying and selling more things and everything gets back to normal, it’s going to be a (expletive) show.”
Despite the growing dangers of the coronavirus, Mitchell thinks affected people can be isolated without having to impact people’s day-to-day practices.
“My thing is the government,” Mitchell said. “The government shouldn’t be able to tell any business, you know – I understand national emergency, national crisis and stuff, but I just don’t think that these numbers indicate a crisis to me. I mean, I really don’t think that they do. I know it’s killed a bunch of old people in nursing homes and maybe some really young people, but those types of people can be isolated. Young people, old people, they can be isolated pretty easily, while everybody else continues doing what they do, and I just think it’s the government.”
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As of Wednesday morning, the total number of global COVID-19 cases was nearing 440,000 with more than 19,600 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins university. In the U.S., the cases elevated beyond 53,000 and 700 deaths.
“I blame the government. I really do. It’s usually who I blame for everything. I think the coronavirus was made by the government. I think the good government made the damn virus. I think that they infected the people on purpose to cause some type of chaos. There’s some people making good money and stuff.”
Like most fighters, training has been altered for Mitchell, who’s been getting some one-on-one work with his coaches alone at the gym, as well as some home workouts, in preparation for his upcoming fight.
An avid hunter, Mitchell is used to getting his own food from the outdoors, and he fears the government’s potential intervention when it comes to guns.
“I think our government is going to try and take our guns,” Mitchell said. “That’s what I think is going to happen, and it’s sad, but that’s what I see happening. I’ve seen them pushing some gun control thing right now and trying to get our guns or at least seeing if they can. I’m seeing how it goes. I don’t know; the whole thing is crazy to me.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if a (expletive) show went down. I’m talking about everybody shooting everybody.”
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