Patchy Mix faces significant expectations as he prepares for his second UFC bout this weekend. His initial entry into the UFC was met with considerable anticipation, as he was widely regarded as one of the world`s elite bantamweights.
Despite a stellar career in Bellator, Mix was unable to replicate that success in his Octagon debut last June, leading to widespread criticism following his loss to Mario Bautista at UFC 316. A former training partner believes several critical factors contributed to Mix`s underwhelming performance.
Stephen Clancy Simmons Discusses How Mario Bautista Neutralized Patchy Mix`s Skillset
At UFC 320, Patchy Mix is slated to return against Jakub Wiklacz in a bantamweight preliminary bout. Amateur fighter Stephen Clancy Simmons, who trained with Mix in Las Vegas earlier this year, offered his perspective on the former Bellator star`s debut.
Mix`s weight cut for UFC 316 was a notable concern, given the short-notice nature of the fight. While acknowledging this, Clancy Simmons also suggested that Mario Bautista might have found it relatively straightforward to anticipate and counter Mix`s strategy. Mix, known for his effective striking, couldn`t showcase it effectively in his last outing. His inability to close the distance and execute his grappling left the debuting fighter looking somewhat disoriented.
Clancy Simmons elaborated: “He took the fight on short notice. I think there was weight. There’s no excuses but I think, as well, when you come to the UFC, you need to be unreal everywhere. I think he [Bautista] knew that he [Mix] was going to really try and use his jiu-jitsu and his wrestling so he just stayed away from him and struck.”
Patchy Mix Now Faces the Role of Welcoming a New Bantamweight to the UFC
This weekend at UFC 320, Patchy Mix`s situation is reversed: he will no longer be the debutant under pressure. Instead, he will welcome 29-year-old bantamweight newcomer Jakub Wiklacz to the Octagon in Las Vegas.
Wiklacz, a Polish fighter, boasts a professional record of 16-3-2 and is the former KSW bantamweight champion, currently riding an impressive seven-fight unbeaten streak. A crucial detail for this upcoming fight is that Wiklacz has only been submitted once in his professional career, via a heel hook in 2016.
