UFC 316: Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix: Live round-by-round updates
UFC 316 will welcome a new bantamweight talent to the fold in the shape of Patchy Mix. The promotional debutant previously plied his trade in Bellator, where he was the bantamweight champion. Mix will face Mario Bautista, a surging contender currently riding a seven-fight winning streak, as part of the main card. The event will be headlined by a bantamweight title rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley. During the fight week proceedings for UFC 316, Mix stated that had he faced O'Malley instead of Dvalishvili in their first fight, that he would have finished 'Sugar' by knockout.
The former Bellator champion enters the octagon with much prestige behind him. For Bautista, a win over a touted newcomer such as Mix would be a majior statement in the division. The New York native currently holds a 20-1 record, whilst Bautista is 15-2.
According to ufc.com, the odds for the bout are currently unavailable for a non-specified reason. Don't miss the live coverage and the play-by-play updates from Sportskeeda as the second fight of the main card unfolds.
Check out their face-off below:
UFC 316: Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix
Round 1:
Both fighters waste no time and begin trading strikes from the opening bell. Mario Bautista targets his opponent's body before landing several crisp right hands to the chin. Patchy Mix targets Bautista's lead leg with kicks, but the No.10 ranked contender continues to dominate the bout with body shots. Bautista's right hand continues to connect to the body and chin, as Mix fights looks to begin asserting himself in the fight. A tough round for the UFC debutant.
Round 2:
The secound round begins similarly to the first, as the pair trade strikes through the opening minute. Bautista continues to push the pace, dominating the striking exchanges against a flat-footed Mix. Bautista switches between orthodox and southpaw stances as he continues to attack the body of his opponent. The UFC newcomer continues to struggle in finding his rhythm. Bautista picks up the pace through the final minute, ripping body shots before landing punches to his opponent's chin before the round ends.
Round 3:
Mix shoots a takedown early in Round 3 that was quickly stuffed by Bautista, before countering with a barrage of strikes to the head. The action slows slightly in the third round, with Bautista continuing to control the pace from a southpaw stance. Mix searches for an opening to land a fighting-changing punch, but Bautista's jab keeps his opponent at bay. Bautista's elusive movement is proving to hard for Mix to stop. The UFC debutant finds success on the feet with thirty seconds left, but nothing significant before the final bell ends, going to the judges' scorecards.
Mario Bautista wins the fight 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27.