John Mitchell: ‘I’m a Boogeyman’

Irishmen are set to be on full display when the Professional Fighters League kicks off its 2025 campaign with PFL Champions Series 1, and John Mitchell figures to draw his share of interest from onlookers.

The 29-year-old 971 MMA and Fitness Academy rep will take on Souhil Tairi in a three-round lightweight prelim this Saturday at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. There, Mitchell hopes to build on a 2-1 start with the PFL while joining Paul Hughes and Nathan Kelly as part of the next wave of Irish talent to hit the company’s global stage. He welcomes the chance to compete at the PFL’s first event of the year.

“It just feels right,” Mitchell told Sherdog.com. “I’m made for the big fights. It’s where I shine. The fact that this fight is in Dubai, which is my second home … I’ve lived here for four years now. As soon as this fight came up, I knew my time was going to come. When the phone rang, I was ready seven weeks ago.”

The PFL has opened the door for rivalries to be built through adjustments to its format. By moving toward more natural back-and-forth banter between fighters and away from standings-based matchmaking, the company could bring more eyes to its product. Mitchell sees the opportunity to show more personality as crucial for fighters wanting to build their brands.

“You’ve got four Irish lads on this card,” he said. “We’ve got personalities coming out of our ears. All you have to do is give us a mic and we’ll do the rest for you. Now I try to get as much media as I can because that’s when we can all really shine, and all the guys on this card, we can all back it up with our fists.”

Mitchell was a PFL Europe finalist in 2023, losing to the unbeaten Jakub Kaszuba in the tournament championship. He plans to use his latest assignment as a means to introduce himself to a wider audience.

“I’m ready to just show the level that I know I really am,” he said. “If you look at my 11 pro fights, even the two that I lost, I was probably winning more in those two losses than in the other nine wins I have. I had a long and hard year of training [in 2024], and I’m just ready to show a completely different fighter. When I look back at my PFL Europe season, I feel like a novice compared to what I’m at now.”

Mitchell admits the loss to Kaszuba forced him to reassess his position. He put himself through a year of “hardship” and heavy training in order to improve upon his return to the PFL. Now, he feels well-prepared to take another step forward in his career.

“Elite-level fights will show that I’m one of the best in the world,” Mitchell said. “I’m a boogeyman. I came from somewhere without any sort of big-fight culture, and I want you to know that when you get my name, that’s a big fight for you.”