Bellator champion Patchy Mix believes he can beat any bantamweight in the world, including UFC fighters, and is currently focused on his upcoming fight against Magomed Magomedov.
Patchy Mix? He’s not one to fuss about how he’s seen in the world of top bantamweights. He’s got this unwavering belief – in a fight, he’d beat ’em all.
He’s the reigning Bellator champ at 135 pounds. And he’s on a roll, six wins in a row, all by finish. His record? Almost flawless, 19-1.
There’s just one tiny blot on his record. A close decision loss to Juan Archuleta about four years back. But since then? Unstoppable.
Mix isn’t the biggest name in UFC, he knows that. He’s not losing sleep over it, though. He’s confident he can take on UFC caliber competition. Been doing it for years, actually.
Before Bellator, he was fighting Tony Gravely and Andre Ewell. He recalls, “Andre Ewell made his UFC debut against Renan Barao and beat his ass.” Mix fought Ewell for a mere $2,000, and won in a minute. Ewell didn’t land a single punch.
A few months later, Ewell was in UFC. Same with Tony Gravely. Mix submitted him in about 80 seconds, and three months later, Gravely was in UFC.
Mix has been at this since he was 5-0, 6-0. Now, he’s 20 fights deep. He’s been tested, and he knows it.
Mix trains with top UFC bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili almost daily. They’ve sparred dozens of rounds together. They’ve shared success, and they know it.
Dvalishvili is expected to face Sean O’Malley for the UFC title later this year. No date yet, but he’s already preparing.
Mix is close with Dvalishvili, but he doesn’t rule out O’Malley winning. He’s not banking on it, though.
He thinks Dvalisvhili has the upper hand due to his cardio. But as a fight fan, he acknowledges O’Malley’s dangerous techniques. He points out, “That knee, the uppercut, he has a good cross, good boxing.”
Mix believes Dvalishvili is tough enough to withstand O’Malley’s attacks. He’s not sure O’Malley is a five-round fighter if it gets ugly. He doesn’t think O’Malley would survive five rounds with Dvalishvili.
Mix is even more confident about his own chances against O’Malley. He’s not giving up any size or reach to the reigning UFC bantamweight champion. That could be a major disadvantage for Dvalishvili.
Mix is certain he’d finish Sean O’Malley. He questions, “How would he not get taken down by me and viciously strangled?” He dismisses the idea of O’Malley not being taken down by Aljamain Sterling.
For now, Mix is focused on his title challenger for Friday’s Bellator Paris main event, Magomed Magomedov. He knows Magomedov competes at the same level as many top UFC bantamweights.
Mix acknowledges Magomedov’s danger. He’s 20-3 with 14 finishes. Mix believes 20-3 is a better record than the entire top five in UFC. He’s not taking him lightly.