Abu Dhabi — Surging bantamweight Mario Bautista gets his toughest test to date at UFC 321, when he takes on the formidable Umar Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov is well-known both by name (as the cousin of UFC Hall of Famer and former lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov) and as a recent title challenger. One who suffered the first defeat of his pro career against 135lb champ Merab Dvalishvili earlier this year.
Bautista, ranked #9 despite sitting on an eight-fight win streak, knows what this showdown in Abu Dhabi could mean. Especially in a division where the champion is already running through opponents for the second time— first Sean O’Malley, and now Petr Yan in December.
“I have the opportunity, I’ve been saying all week, I have the opportunity to change things up, really shake up the division,” Bautista told media outlets including Cageside Press on Wednesday. “Otherwise, if Umar wins, it’s just going to be rematches from here on out for a little bit for Merab. You have [Cory] Sandhagen who can work his way back up. So I have the opportunity to shake things up, and that’s what I plan on doing.”
Bautista is hoping for a first round finish on Saturday, ideally a knockout, giving him the ideal scenario of going home two rounds early. “I think a knockout would be easier than a submission. I think he’s pretty good on the ground,” the bantamweight contender noted.
Corey Sandhagen, meanwhile, who faced Dvalishvili earlier this month, remains of interest to Bautista. The pair met in 2019 and is one of just two losses on Mario Bautista’s record.
“If that fight comes about, I would definitely like to take it. As long as he’s ahead of me, I would like to take it,” he stated. “That fight was so long ago, I know I’m a different fighter. He’s a different fighter. So yeah I would love to get that one back.”
Watch the full UFC 321 media day appearance by Mario Bautista above.
