CHICAGO – Patchy Mix established himself as the undisputed Bellator bantamweight champion Friday and in doing so thinks he once again proved he’s the best in the world.
In the Bellator 301 co-main event at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Mix (19-1 MMA, 8-1 BMMA) submitted Sergio Pettis (23-6 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) by rear-naked choke in Round 2 to unify the promotion’s 135-pound titles.
The win over Pettis is one Mix holds in high regard.
“My opponent there, Sergio Pettis, they look at his (flyweight) run,” Mix told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “But this kid was young when he was in the UFC. He’s great. I mean, he just beat Patricio ‘Pitbull.’ He smoked the only man to beat me. Archuleta didn’t win a round against him. I think that Sergio is up there as one of the top three bantamweights in the world right now. I feel like he was so young in the UFC at 24 or 25 years old. He just turned 30 years old, him and I. I feel like we’re both entering our prime.
“They hold Sean O’Malley in such a high regard. Sean O’Malley never beat someone of the level of ‘Patricio Pitbull,’ like Sergio Pettis did. That’s why I respected him like I did. I took this fight very seriously. I feel like a lot of people underestimate him, and I overestimated him because I knew how good he was. The first shot busted my face up. That’s why I had to respect him.”
Mix sits atop the Bellator throne, though the promotion’s future beyond Friday’s event is uncertain at this time. Bellator president Scott Coker did not speak to reporters after the event as rumors of a potential sale loom large.
Given this and having already fought many of the division’s top contenders, Mix passed on any callouts. He’s champion now and plans to let the promotion bring names to him.
“I’m just getting started,” Mix said. “I just turned 30 years old. I’m 19-1 now with 15 finishes. I’m just getting started. I’m cleaning the division out from the bottom up. … I’m not necessarily chasing anyone not that I’m the titleholder. Whoever they approach me with, I’m willing to do. I don’t mind. I can run it back with all three of them. If they want to do me and Sergio again, if they want to do me and (Raufeon) Stots again, or if they want to do me and Maga (Magomed Magomedov). I’ve fought all the top guys and I just want to fight who they believe is the best, who is on the best run.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 301.
