Patchy Mix is brimming with extreme confidence as he prepares for his first appearance in the UFC Octagon at UFC 316.
Earlier this year, former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix was a significant acquisition as a top free agent signing for the UFC. With his highly anticipated Octagon debut just days away, Mix is escalating the pre-fight verbal exchanges against his upcoming rival.
Mix and Mario Bautista are scheduled to compete in a prominent main card bout at UFC 316 this Saturday in Newark. Mix`s integration into the competitive UFC bantamweight division adds another layer of intrigue to the 135 lb title landscape.
Although the betting odds for the matchup between Mix and Bautista at UFC 316 are relatively close, Mix seems to be approaching this upcoming fight as if it were merely a warm-up.
Patchy Mix Delivers Harsh Criticism, Threatens Mario Bautista`s Entire Team
Prior to joining the UFC, Mix was widely regarded by many as potentially the best bantamweight in MMA, acknowledging that fighters like UFC 316 headliner Merab Dvalishvili might have faced a higher level of competition. Mix initially built his success on an elite grappling foundation but has since developed into a well-rounded mixed martial artist, presenting a significant challenge for his opponents in the cage.
While Bautista enters UFC 316 riding an impressive winning streak, his fighting style has at times been perceived as sluggish by UFC fans during his recent run. Mix intends to capitalize on this when they meet in the Octagon this weekend.
During a recent episode of the UFC 316: Embedded series, Mix offered a blunt assessment of Bautista’s skillset while watching fight footage ahead of their bout.
Mix declared, “I will f— him up.” He continued, “I’m a three-time world champion. This guy’s a journeyman fighter. I’ll submit him. And whoever’s teaching him Jiu-Jitsu, I’ll submit the whole crew.”
Bautista comes into UFC 316 on a seven-fight winning streak, which includes notable victories over UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo and Ricky Simon. His most recent victory by submission was against Guido Cannetti in March 2023.
Throughout his tenures with Bellator and PFL, Mix secured numerous finishes, including submissions against Magomed Magomedov and James Gallagher. His last defeat was a unanimous decision loss to Juan Archuleta at Bellator 246.
Patchy Mix`s Debut is a Key Storyline at UFC 316
Mix is the latest in a series of former Bellator and PFL standout fighters to transition to the UFC Octagon. Earlier this year, former Bellator featherweight champion Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire also made his UFC debut at UFC 314, although he lost via decision to Yair Rodriguez.
However, Mix`s upcoming debut is generating significantly more anticipation than Freire`s, drawing comparisons to the considerable hype surrounding Kayla Harrison`s arrival at UFC 300 last year. Harrison is set to contend for the women`s bantamweight title in the UFC 316 co-main event after just two fights under the UFC banner.
Merab Dvalishvili has stated that Mix is on his radar, particularly if Mix secures a victory this Saturday at UFC 316. The two fighters briefly trained together earlier this year and have mutually acknowledged the possibility of facing each other in a future Octagon bout.
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