Kamaru Usman believes he understands why Patchy Mix`s first fight in the UFC did not go as planned.
Mix, a former Bellator bantamweight champion, arrived at UFC 316 with an impressive 20-1 record and considerable anticipation after leaving PFL. However, his initial appearance in the octagon proved challenging, as he was significantly out-struck by top contender Mario Bautista, resulting in a clear decision loss.
Following the bout, Mix issued a statement on Sunday acknowledging his disappointing performance and mentioned that he accepted the fight on short notice, stepping in as a replacement for Marlon Vera.
Usman offered his perspective on Mix`s difficulties, suggesting that while the short preparation time might have played a role, the primary issue was likely elsewhere.
On his `Pound 4 Pound` podcast, Usman shared his theory: “Honestly, I think Patchy Mix cut too much weight. I think so. He looked like his body was not responding. That’s not the Patchy Mix that we’re used to seeing. Everything was flat.” Usman observed a lack of offensive variety and head movement from Mix, primarily seeing only a counter hook, in contrast to Bautista`s diverse striking attack. Usman concluded, “Bautista looked amazing, but I think the story was I don’t think Patchy Mix recovered from that weight cut.”
Usman reiterated his point about the weight cut`s impact on Mix`s potential: “Patchy Mix has all the skills, has a lot of skills, and I think he definitely can be at the top of this division, but I think we need to think about what that weight cut is like because it looked bad and I think it was that weight cut.”
Before joining the UFC, Mix had earned a reputation as arguably the best bantamweight outside the organization. His record includes significant wins over fighters like Kyoji Horiguchi, Sergio Pettis, Raufeon Stots, and Magomed Magomedov, although his second win against Magomedov was a controversial split decision.
While Mix had a strong run in Bellator, his recent performances (including the second Magomedov fight and the Bautista loss) have now cast doubt on his immediate status as a potential UFC title challenger.
Usman, who has known Mix for years, acknowledged his talent: “I’ve known Patchy Mix for a long time since before he started making waves in Bellator… Patchy Mix is extremely talented, Patchy Mix was a champion and has the recipe to become a champion.” However, he circled back to the weight issue: “I think we’ve got to figure some things out here. I think that weight class, we’ve got to figure out, because if it’s going to be at this weight class then it might potentially have to be a lifestyle change because it looked like he cut too much weight… It looked bad.”
Despite the setback, Usman remains optimistic about Mix`s future, adding, “But I do think Patchy Mix is very, very skilled, and I can’t wait to see how he rebounds from this.”
Usman also took time to commend Mario Bautista for his performance. Bautista has now achieved eight consecutive victories in a highly competitive division. Although Bautista faced criticism for his grappling-heavy win against Jose Aldo previously, his victory over Mix was clearly dominant.
Given the pre-fight buzz around Mix as a potential championship contender, Usman suggested that the focus should now shift to Bautista.
“He’s damn good,” Usman commented on Bautista. “What he did last night really showed people that he’s damn good. So we’ve got to move him up in that rankings.” Usman even floated the idea of a major fight for Bautista: “Why not Bautista vs. [Sean] O’Malley?” He contrasted Bautista`s dominant win with the hypothetical situation where Mix might have made a strong title case if he had finished Bautista impressively.
Marcus Blakely