Newark, NJ — Switching for a match-up opposite Chito Vera to Bellator star Patchy Mix, Mario Bautista rolls into UFC 316 on a strong win streak, facing one of the bigger question marks to arrive in the UFC in recent years.
Mix has jumped into the fight on short notice, and has long been thought of as one of the best bantamweights outside the UFC. The #10-ranked Bautista now gets to put him to the test, after making “just minor changes here at the end” of his fight camp, originally focused on Vera.
“I’m excited to fight Patchy. It’s a big opponent, he’s very skilled, so I’m excited to challenge myself against him,” Bautista (15-2) told media outlets including Cageside Press during Wednesday’s UFC 316 media day.
“The die hard fans, they know who Patchy is, and we all know who Patchy is, and how good he is,” noted Bautista, asked about Mix’s profile with MMA fans. “So that’s what makes me excited for this fight. He hasn’t been in the UFC before but I think he brings a lot to the table as far as like a following and definitely skill set. So I’m just excited to go out there.”
Coming out of his last fight, a decision win over UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo, Mario Bautista endured heavy criticism for his performance in a fight many thought could have gone the other way. At the least, it wasn’t the sort of fight fans had hoped for, with Bautista unable to take Aldo down and a lot of time spent battling for position along the fence.
That said, Bautista isn’t looking to overcorrect despite the harsh reaction from MMA fans.
“I’m not looking to go out there and change anything and make those fans happy, because at the end of the day it doesn’t even really matter,” he stated. “I’m on a seven fight win streak, and I would understand if all those fights were the same way— I would understand. But each fight is different and I can guarantee this one is going to be a lot different.”
Watch the full UFC 316 media day appearance by Mario Bautista above.
