Preparing for his upcoming fight at UFC 316, Mario Bautista is ready to move past the lengthy discussion surrounding his split-decision victory over Jose Aldo eight months ago.
The bout was a tough, back-and-forth affair that Bautista ultimately won by split decision. However, the result was met with immediate criticism, with many fans and observers believing he didn`t deserve the nod and expressing frustration with his tactical approach that prevented Aldo from utilizing his best attacks. What should have been a major career milestone turned into Bautista needing to defend his performance, and the topic resurfaced when Aldo recently returned to face Aiemann Zahabi.
Though the situation was annoying, Bautista understands the reaction was primarily due to Jose Aldo`s legendary status and popularity, rather than a specific issue with Bautista himself.
“Everyone loves Jose Aldo and wants to see his classic highlights and everything he`s capable of,” Bautista commented. “I think people are simply frustrated that I shut that down and didn`t allow it to happen.”
Bautista points to Aldo`s performance against Zahabi as a clear justification for his strategy, showing why he wasn`t willing to engage in a reckless slugfest with the Brazilian icon.
While Zahabi managed to endure a difficult third round and secure a unanimous decision, Aldo landed a barrage of strikes that nearly ended the fight. For Bautista, this demonstrated the danger of standing and trading with Aldo and highlighted how close Zahabi came to potentially losing the fight based on those moments.
“[Aiemann] Zahabi won the fight… and gassed him out late, but he took a significant shot for it,” Bautista said. “Credit to Zahabi, he absorbed that strike, recovered, and continued to pressure Aldo.”
He added, “You just never know. The referee could have stopped the fight right there after that strike, and you`d end up with a loss. It`s wild how quickly things can change.”
Bautista holds no ill will towards Aldo or those who were upset with the fight`s outcome, but he stands by his choice to do whatever was necessary to win that night.
Despite the initial frustration, Bautista has moved on. He is confident that delivering a strong performance against Patchy Mix at UFC 316 will shift the narrative and change how people view his career trajectory.
“Years from now, people will look at the record and simply see a win over Jose Aldo,” Bautista stated. “They`ll forget the details, and that`s ultimately what matters.”
“I`m just excited for this next fight and to move past all of that,” he concluded. “That`s part of reaching this level in the sport. You`re going to have moments like these. You never know what challenges will come, and you just have to face them.”
Marcus Blakely