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Patchy Mix has registered some solid victories in his professional career. However, none seemingly compares to the magnitude of his career-defining win over Conor McGregor's protege and Straight Blast Gym teammate James Gallagher.
Back in November 2021, Gallagher was riding a four-fight win streak and took on Mix at Bellator 270. The fight was contested in catchweight (137.8 lb) after Mix missed weight. The American walked into enemy territory, ready to make a statement, and he delivered.
Gallagher had his moments early, especially in round two when he nearly locked in a guillotine choke. But Mix turned the tables in round three and wrapped up his signature submission, to shock the home crowd at Dublin’s 3Arena.
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That win kicked off Mix’s rise to the Bellator bantamweight title and cemented his place as one of the division’s most dangerous finishers. Now, after signing with the UFC, he’s set to make his promotional debut at UFC 316 against Mario Bautista.
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Despite the heated build-up and Gallagher’s constant trash talk inside the cage, Mix admitted post-fight that the Irishman was a tougher test than expected. Speaking at the post-fight press conference, he said:
"Yeah, he was tougher than I expected. I knew he was mature. [Pre-fight] banter to sell the fight, as well... He's talking a lot, I'm talking a lot, we wanted a lot of fans here, we wanted the energy here. He earned my respect. He did have my respect before, as well. As a competitor, he has my respect... Outside of that, there are some moral codes that you have to abide by. Maybe he doesn't like me, and I don't like him, but I still kind of respect his game and stuff like that." [H/t: MMA Junkie]]
Check out the official announcement of Patchy Mix signing with the UFC:
Patchy Mix reveals private conversation he had with Merab Dvalishvili before UFC debut
Before officially signing with the UFC, Patchy Mix had a private conversation with UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. The former Bellator champ, freshly released from his PFL deal, informed his long-time training partner that he might be heading to the UFC.
Mix was soon announced as the replacement for the injured Marlon Vera at UFC 316, stepping in to face Mario Bautista. Speaking to the media ahead of his debut, Mix said:
“Just business... A couple of months ago, we had been in the gym and I saw him. I told him, ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen with my PFL deal, and I wanna be a man to you and tell you I might come over there’... I told him, as a man, that I could be potentially coming over here, and that if we did fight, I hope it could be for a title down the line. I’m doing this for my family, and that title comes with setting your family up for life. So, it doesn’t matter who is in the way. It doesn’t matter who.”
Check out Patchy Mix's comments below (6:00):
