Mitchell competed in soccer through high school and then went to several community colleges before dropping out and working in construction for six years.
[1][2] Mitchell made his professional MMA debut in 2006 and compiled an undefeated record of 11–0 with wins over War Machine, Bobby Green, Tim McKenzie, and Poppies Martinez before being signed by the UFC.
Mitchell also won the Tachi Palace Fights Welterweight Championship by defeating McKenzie and then successfully defended the title against Martinez.
[4] However, Mitchell was forced out of the fight with a back injury and Swick felt as if his stomach condition was not completely healed, so the bout was scrapped from the card altogether.
[7] However, prior to the weigh in for the event, the bout was scrapped after Lim was declared medically unfit to compete by UFC doctors.
[12] Mitchell defeated Fernando Gonzalez in a Middleweight bout via TKO on February 15, 2014, at West Coast Fighting Championship 8.