This is the UFC 316 live blog for Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix, the main card bantamweight bout Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Bautista stands at No. 10 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, with Mix four spots ahead at No. 6. Mix also holds the No. 16 spot in the Pound-for-Pound Rankings.
A winner of seven straight fights, Bautista (15-2) still seeks respect after earning a controversial split nod over the legendary Jose Aldo this past October. Prior to that victory, Bautista separated himself from the pack with wins over Ricky Simon, Da’Mon Blackshear, and Brian Kelleher among others. Whether fans like it or not, another win keeps Bautista as a dark horse in the bantamweight title race.
Mix (20-1) makes his highly anticipated UFC debut after securing a release from PFL this past May. He became the undisputed Bellator bantamweight champion in November 2023 with a second-round submission of Sergio Pettis, then won a close fight against Magomed Magomedov to retain his title. Mix also holds notable wins over Kyoji Horiguchi and Raufeon Stots, and an impressive performance against Bautista puts him right in line for a title shot.
Check out the UFC 316 live blog for Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix below.
