Ali Abdelaziz says Patchy Mix could earn title shot with UFC 316 win: 'It's a crazy sport'

USA Today

18 hours ago

Ali Abdelaziz says Patchy Mix could earn title shot with UFC 316 win: 'It's a crazy sport'
Ali Abdelaziz says the idea of Patchy Mix becoming No. 1 contender after UFC 316 isn't out of the realm of possibility.
Former Bellator champion Mix (20-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his octagon debut against Mario Bautista (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) on Saturday's main card pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Mix has long declared himself as the best 135-pounder in the sport, and Abdelaziz has watched him train first hand.
"He believes it," Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie on Mix declaring himself as the best bantamweight. "I train with Patchy two days a week because I teach a class at the (UFC Performance Institute), and he comes to my class all the time. He chokes guys from 125 to light heavyweight. He is this good on the ground and grappling.
"He's fighting a tough guy. His opponent is very hard to deal with because he doesn't give you much, and I think Patrick has to find something. The key is to pressure him early. It's a three-round fight. He's been fighting five-round fights, and I think Patrick is going to push the gas and try to make him make a mistake and capitalize on it and probably choke him."
With his prior accolades, Mix doesn't see himself needing to climb the ladder. If he can impress against Bautista, Abdelaziz would love to see him in the title picture.
"It's a crazy sport. He's a world champion already," Abdelaziz said. "He's 20-1. He's 31-1 with his amateur career. He has almost 20 finishes, and I think he can fight for the title (with just one UFC win). Why not, if he goes out there and has an impressive performance? You have Cory Sandhagen – of course, I think he deserves (a title shot). But at the end of the day, Patchy Mix is a fighter. He never turned down a fight, he doesn't choose opponents, and he's always game. He took this fight on three weeks' notice."