What a difference a year makes. One year (and a few months) ago,
Mix (20-2, 0-1 UFC) was riding high having defended his throne
against rival Magomed Magomedov. Now he finds himself coming into
his sophomore UFC appearance having lost his last fight, and he is
on the ESPN prelims. He will meet debuting former KSW champ Wiklacz
(16-3-2, 0-0 UFC), who is hoping that in 2026 he does not have the
same experience looking back. Referee Jason Herzog draws the charge
for what should be an entertaining bantamweight affair, and he
steps back as the combatants touch ‘em up. Wiklacz takes a step back and delivers a crisp front kick to the
body, and he follows with a right hand that makes Mix make a face.
Wiklacz continues to stay busy with right hands and body kicks, and
he digs a right to the midsection and fires off a kick to the same
spot. Mix tosses low kicks to slow him down, but Wiklacz splits the
guard with a right hand. When they clinch up, Mix lifts Wiklacz off
the ground with an uppercut, and they break off and trade kicks.
Mix blocks a kick and Wiklacz falls over, and he pounces. When
Wiklacz wall-walks, Mix elevates and slams him down to the floor.
Wiklacz scrambles and even briefly threatens with a guillotine, but
Mix ignores it and even thinks about a Von Preux before stepping
over to shut the sub down. Wiklacz keeps him from advancing thanks
to butterfly hooks, and he closes his guard around the waist. Mix smacks him around with short ground strikes, and he releases it
as chants for “USA” rain down. Wiklacz reverses the position with a
butterfly sweep, and he jumps up and wraps up a guillotine choke
while standing. The submission surprises the Angola, New York,
native, who has to turn over and give up his back to escape.
Wiklacz welcomes this by repositioning himself to full mount, and
he laces his legs around Mix’ to pin him flat. Wiklacz smothers his
man and delivers a few right hands, and he gives up mount to move
to side control. The Polish fighter maintains heavy shoulder
pressure and jams down a nasty elbow, developing some swelling
above Mix’ right eye. Mix sits up to get out of danger, and Wiklacz
threatens with a guillotine before the bell. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wiklacz Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Wiklacz Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Wiklacz

Between rounds, the eyebrow of Mix swells up badly. Mix goes right
after him, and he walks directly into a pair of big hooks. Mix
fires back with a kick and a body shot, and he gets up close and is
kneed for his handiwork. Wiklacz escapes out the side, but not
before getting jabbed. The Polish fighter chambers and fires a
thumping body kick, and he tosses aside a front kick from Mix.
Wiklacz doubles up on body kicks, and Mix thwacks him with an elbow
and shoots for a double. Wiklacz snatches up a guillotine off his
back, and he turns Mix to the side even with an arm in on the sub.
Mix stands up, and Wiklacz clings to him with the submission and
works his way back up. Mix stands and takes a pair of right hands
down the middle, and he takes a deep breath. Mix walks straight
into a left hand and a knee to the liver, and Wiklacz elbows him as
he continues throwing. Mix takes a clean elbow on the eye socket,
and he times a spinning Wiklacz to counter him with a left. Mix
tries to take the fight down, and Wiklacz jumps guard for a
guillotine. The American is able to shake Wiklacz off of him and dump him to
his back, where he slows Wiklacz down and drills him with a right
hand or two. Wiklacz’ butterfly hooks force Mix off of him just
long enough to stand, and they nail one another with heavy right
hands. Wiklacz delivers a hard body kick, and he sharply inhales as
Mix walks him down. Wiklacz goes to the body with a kick and then a
right hand, and he loops a left over the guard. Punches are traded,
and when they clinch, Mix lands a right hand and a left elbow.
Wiklacz pounds the body with a kick, and he does it a second time
as it appears to go a little low and brush the cup. Herzog calls
time and reviews the kick, which was legal and on the belt line, so
he resumes the action. Wiklacz kicks the same spot, right above the
belt, and Mix grimaces and absorbs it a third time when Wiklacz
darts in kicking. Wiklacz knees the body and then head, and Mix
answers with a number of uppercuts. The horn sounds to end the
round, with Mix leaking a bit out of his nostrils. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wiklacz Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Mix Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Mix

The fighters high-five to get going in the final frame, and Wiklacz
goes right to the kick that has done well the previous round. Mix
powers through it to lift Wiklacz up, and Wiklacz instantly goes
for his guillotine and snatches it up before they even hit the
ground. Mix bucks and shakes Wiklacz off of him, and he establishes
top position but has to fight butterfly hooks shortly thereafter.
The Polish fighter kicks Mix off of him for a moment, and Mix leaps
back on top of him and starts landing ground strikes. Wiklacz
frames off with elbows on his back, and he sits up but finds a
135-pound weight on his chest. Mix drives down a single elbow that
draws blood above the left eyebrow, and Wiklacz uses a heel hook
try to force himself up. As red liquid streams down his face,
Wiklacz turns to the side so it does not pool in his eye
socket. Mix maintains heavy control without landing much, and the fans
start to turn on him. Wiklacz hacks with a couple elbows to the top
of the dome, and Mix continues to embrace the grind. Mix lands one
or two strikes before Wiklacz bucks, and Wiklacz strikes back with
more elbows. Wiklacz bursts back to his feet with seconds to spare,
and Mix is quick to mat return him and take his back. Mix drives
home some right hands to punctuate his performance. It could go
either way, likely depending on how the judges saw the second
stanza. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mix (29-28 Wiklacz) Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Mix (29-28 Mix) Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Mix (29-28 Mix)

Keith Peterson will officiate "Patchy" Mix's UFC debut. They touch
gloves. Bautista wastes no time and starts punching to the body and
throwing leg kicks. Bautista is throwing out jabs and straight
rights at Mix. Nice right hand to the body by Bautista. Mix eats a
1-2 and hasn't been able to get anything off. Mix is starting to
throw his jab, but is eating leg kicks from Bautista. Mix is backed
up by a right hand from Bautista. Mix is starting to throw his own
kicks and slowly getting more comfortable inside the Octagon. Nice
right straight for Bautista that stings Mix. Bautista is repeatedly
throwing 1-2 combinations and having success. Two minutes left. Mix
throwing some half-hearted leg kicks that aren't landing. Bautista
is having success going to the body. Nice body kick by Bautista.
Mix is standing still and getting hit without showing much defense
or doing anything offensively. Very poor first impression on the
big stage. The round ends with Bautista stinging Mix with a
combination. Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Bautista Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bautista Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Bautista

Mix comes out throwing calf kicks. Nice body kick scores for
Bautista. Bautista jabbing to both the body and head. Mix lands a
solid right hand, but Bautista connects with a looping left in
response. Bautista is much busier and has a far greater output so
far. Mix is reacting better than in the first round, connecting
with some right hooks and catching Bautista as he comes in. Mix's
corner is calling for takedown attempts, but he hasn't tried to
grapple at all. Bautista landing some nice jabs. Nice head kick
lands by Mix. Bautista is now backing up, allowing Mix to throw a
1-2. This is a much better round for Mix. Bautista and Mix are
going tit for tat, both hitting each other with stiff jabs. A big
left hand lands for Bautista. Mix tries a jumping knee that is way
off the mark. Bautista is bloodied below his right eye from the
jabs of Mix. Bautista is coming on late and is pouring on punches,
allowing him to cement this round in his favor. Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Bautista Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bautista Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Bautista

The final round opens with Mix being more aggressive as he knows he
needs a finish. Mix goes for a desperate takedown and eats punches
from Bautista as a result. Bautista is repeatedly finding a home
for his right hand. Mix is now cut above his right eye. Bautista is
in full control, jabbing away and outclassing Mix. Bautista eats a
1-2 but answers back with a low kick of his own. Mix lands a
slapping body kick. Mix is chasing after Bautista but is unable to
land much. Bautista's footwork is making a huge difference as Mix
can't keep up with his movement. Mix lands a nice left straight but
eats a jab. Bautista throws out a head kick that misses its mark.
Nice 1-2 from Bautista. More leg kicks from Bautista. Mix lands a
nice left hand and a knee with 30 seconds left to go, but it winds
up being far too little. Bautista throws a jumping knee as the
round ends. A deflating debut for Mix. Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Bautista (30-27 Bautista) Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bautista (30-27
Bautista) Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Bautista (30-27 Bautista)

Patchy Mix

Fight History

Fighter Skills Radar

Key Insights

Striking Profile

Key Insights

Grappling Profile

Key Insights

Conclusions Summary