Patchy Mix: I have the belts and money, now I want recognition

After months of silence and speculation, Patchy Mix (20-1), the former Bellator bantamweight champion and one of the most sought-after freelance fighters on the market, has finally signed with the UFC. Although he was under contract with the PFL after the merger with Bellator, both parties agreed to terminate his contract, paving the way for his move to the world's most elite promotion.

And while many fighters decide to join the UFC for financial reasons, Mix made it clear: it's not about the money, it's about status.

"I have the money. I have the belts. I have all that. But I don't have the recognition, and that's what I'm coming for on June 7. I'm coming to show the world who I am," Mix told reporters during UFC Fight Night 256.

However, earlier this year, Mix complained about how the PFL/Bellator wasn't giving him fights, and that he had to support his own family.

He will make his UFC debut on June 7 at UFC 316, where he will face Mario Bautista, a fighter in great form with a seven-fight winning streak. Mix enters the bout with an impressive 20-1 professional record, with his only loss coming in 2020 to Juan Archuleta. Since then, he has been stringing together dominant wins against Sergio Pettis, Kyoji Horiguchi and Raufeon Stots – all opponents from the very top of the world bantamweight scene.

– When the call comes, you answer. I’m not afraid of anyone in this division, especially not Mario Bautista. He’s on a seven-fight winning streak, and I want that streak. They called me and I said, ‘Sure, let’s go.’ I didn’t care if the opponent was ranked number one or number 50. I was going to take the one that nobody wanted. This time it was Bautista, I think ‘Chito’ Vera got hurt. They called me within an hour or two, and the next day it was done.

Patchy Mix

Patchy Mix is ​​not just an addition to the UFC roster – he is a fighter who already has the aura of a champion, a technically refined grappler with an incredible sense of pace, transition and finishing. But what he lacked in Bellator and the PFL – global attention and media visibility – he is now looking for in the UFC cage.

The fight against Bautista will therefore not only be a debut, but also a statement. Because as he himself said – the belts and victories are in his pocket, but the name still needs to be built. The UFC is giving him a stage, and on June 7 – it is time to perform.