After an impressive submission win Saturday at Bellator 232, Patrick Mix made it clear that he’s looking for a raise.
Uncasville, CT — Patrick Mix made a little bit of history Saturday night. Pulling off a rarely seen Suloev stretch submission at Bellator 232, he became the first fight in the promotion to win via that particular method.
It’s not his first time getting a win with the hamstring stretch submission, however. “It’s my second one,” Mix told media outlets including Cageside Press after the fight. “They didn’t give me enough respect, because it was for King of the Cage the first time. So I hit the first one in Bellator history, and that means everything to me.”
Mix felt he could have pulled off the submission in his last fight, but despite being in the right position, didn’t. “I was kicking myself in the butt for it.”
The victory brought Mix’s pro record to 12-0. Asked if he wanted a contender for his next fight, he pointed out that “I had a contender this fight. Dominic Mazzotta, he actually pulled out. I wanted that name. Grateful I had Isiah Chapman. But I just took out Ricky Bandejas — he’s a big contender in the division — in under a minute.”
So fighting a contender would not be a step up, Mix said. “I’ve been taking out contenders. I’ve taken out Ricky, two UFC guys, Andre Ewell and Tony Gravely, all under five minutes if you add up all the times.”
“I’m already a contender, I’m already stepping up,” stated Mix. And he wants to fight again soon. Against who is the better question. At 12-0, there’s no doubt Mix can make a case for title contention. Champ Kyoji Horiguchi currently holds both Bellator and RIZIN gold — and mix would be happy to go to Japan. He made his case for a shot Saturday.
“I’m 12-0 with nine finishes, seven in the first round. On a 23-fight winning streak, because of my amateur career. I’ve finished seventeen people,” said Mix. “I know they have a show in Japan, I know they’re talking about it. I’m going to go work on my passport right now.”
Mix is open to fighting Horiguchi in Japan, but other contenders in the division, well that’s another matter. “If Bellator pays me well enough, I’m here to fight the contenders in the division,” he said. “But I want to get paid for my services now.”
Adding that his record speaks for itself, Mix explained that “the contract right now that I’m on, even Horiguchi — I know that comes with money, so that’s why I’m chasing Horiguchi. I’m not chasing these other contenders for this amount of money right now, but I’m chasing Horiguchi, because I know that entails a new contract.”
In other words, the man just wants to get paid.
Watch the full Bellator 232 post-fight press conference with Patrick Mix above!
