Mix signs with UFC, steps in vs. Bautista
Former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix signed with the UFC and will make his debut against Mario Bautista at UFC 316 on June 7 in Newark, the promotion announced Saturday.
Mix is replacing Marlon "Chito" Vera, who withdrew from the event earlier this week due to an injury.
Mix became a free agent Tuesday after being granted his release from the PFL.
The 31-year-old, who holds a 20-1 professional record, will step into the cage for the first time since defeating Magomed Magomedov at a Bellator Champions Series event in Paris in May 2024.
One of the top 135-pound fighters in the world, Mix spent five years under the PFL/Bellator banner. He held the Bellator bantamweight title from November 2023 to earlier this year when the PFL dissolved the Bellator brand. The Buffalo native went 9-1 in the two promotions, beating the likes of Sergio Pettis, Kyoji Horiguchi, and Raufeon Stots.
Mix joins a stacked UFC bantamweight division that includes champion Merab Dvalishvili, Sean O'Malley, Umar Nurmagomedov, Petr Yan, and Cory Sandhagen, among others.
Bautista is ranked No. 10 at 135 pounds and has won seven in a row dating back to 2022.