If Patchy Mix is indeed one of the best bantamweights in the world, he didn’t show it on Saturday. The much-hyped former Bellator champion had a regrettable UFC debut, losing a lackluster affair to Mario Bautista on UFC 316’s pay-per-view main card at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Bautista (16-2) soundly outstruck a sluggish Mix (20-2) and easily fended off Mix’s lone takedown attempt to claim a unanimous decision on the judges’ scorecards and snap the UFC newcomer’s seven-fight win streak. In doing so, Bautista also extended his own Octagon win streak to eight straight.
Mix, 31, looked stiff and uncomfortable from the opening bell, abandoning his vaunted grappling arsenal to instead try to strike with his ranked foe. It was a decision that Bautista relished, as he spent the majority of the early going peppering Mix with straight right hands through the guard and blasting him with stiff hooks to the body. Bautista, 31, led the dance nearly the entire way, using a measured approach to keep Mix off his rhythm and gradually bank rounds.
Sensing the desperation of the moment, Mix finally attempted his first takedown in the opening seconds of the third frame but was easily rebuffed. Bautista then continued to lean into his varied offensive attack, snapping hard kicks at Mix’s lead leg and leaning further into the bodywork to make Mix hesitant to change levels for another takedown attempt. Mix’s increased urgency helped him find a few pockets of success on the feet, but by the final bell the former Bellator champion’s face was bloody mess and he cast a visibly frustrated figure, with Bautista winning the striking battle 173-122 in significant strikes.
Bautista has now sneakily put together one of the best active runs in the UFC bantamweight division, claiming wins over a trio of respected names in Mix, Jose Aldo and Ricky Simón over his past three bouts.
Mix, meanwhile, joins the likes of Patricio Pitbull, Eddie Alvarez, Hector Lombard, Ben Askren and more as former Bellator champions who fell short in their UFC debuts.
Get full UFC 316 results, highlights and play-by-play of the pay-per-view main card here.