Former Bellator champion Patchy Mix addressed several topics at the UFC 316 media day in Newark, N.J. He spoke about finally making his octagon debut, his confidence that a victory over Mario Bautista will significantly boost his position in the bantamweight title picture, and how his relationship with UFC strawweight contender Tatiana Suarez has benefited his career, among other subjects.
With a record of 20-1, Mix was widely considered the premier bantamweight globally outside the UFC before his signing in May. He is stepping into the fight against Bautista as a replacement for the originally scheduled opponent, Marlon Vera, who pulled out for unspecified reasons. Mix is currently on a seven-fight winning streak, having not lost since September 2020. His recent victories include notable names such as Kyoji Horiguchi, Sergio Pettis, and Raufeon Stots.
Mario Bautista (15-2) is also on an impressive seven-fight winning streak heading into Saturday`s contest. His most recent win was a split decision victory over Jose Aldo at UFC 307 last October. Bautista aims to derail Mix`s momentum and position himself as a leading contender for the UFC bantamweight championship.
Marcus Blakely