LAS VEGAS \u2013 It’s not often fighters want something more than a title. And if really, truly pressed on it, maybe he’d give himself an out.<\/p>\n
But ask Patchy Mix right now, and he’d rather have another crack at Mario Bautista and a win over him than the UFC bantamweight belt. That’s how much that unanimous decision setback stung for Mix, a former Bellator champion who made his much heralded promotional debut against Bautista at UFC 316 in June.<\/p>\n
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Mix was a 2-1 favorite in the fight. The 32-year-old Las Vegas-based Mix had been stuck in a dead-end situation with the PFL after it purchased Bellator, but he was among the most high-profile fighters to be granted his release.<\/p>\n
He stepped in for Marlon Vera on short notice to fight Bautista for his debut, and it backfired in Newark, N.J. Bautista graduated to a fight at UFC 321 against recent title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov, and Mix (20-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) finds himself on the UFC 320 prelims against the debuting Jakub Wiklacz (16-3-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC).<\/p>\n
That dropoff could be one of the reasons why Mix is so intent on wanting to get another crack at Bautista, title pursuits be damned.<\/p>\n
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“I have a lot of respect for Mario Bautista, and same with Umar,” Mix told MMA Junkie on Tuesday. “I have no prediction on the fight, but what I do know is \u2026 (the winner) will probably get the title shot.<\/p>\n
“If Mario Bautista does win \u2026 all I know: I am coming back for that fight with everything in my body. Whether it’s now, a year, two years, I will win until I get that fight back. I hope we meet so I can prove not just to everyone in the world, but to myself. He was able to be fully ready. When I’m able to be fully ready \u2026 I believe I can beat that kid and finish him.”<\/p>\n
The wild thing is, though, that if it means delaying a title shot in the name of avenging the Bautista loss, it sounds like Mix is in “so be it” mode for that.<\/p>\n
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“I used to look at the title (as a goal), but now I’m looking at that redemption (against Bautista). I need that one back for myself,” Mix said.<\/p>\n
Check out Mix’s full interview above.<\/p>\n