For a brief period, it appeared that UFC 316 was headed for disaster. Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera‘s decision to withdraw from his bout with Mario Bautista was more than simply an injury or reshuffle. It was a gut punch to a card that was already treading water. The fight was scheduled for the main card, and with only a few weeks remaining, the UFC was suddenly missing one of its most anticipated fights. Dana White needed a quick fix. And guess what? He received something better!

Salvation in the form of a newly signed bantamweight phenom from PFL, Patchy Mix. This isn’t some random newcomer filling in for a paycheck. Patchy Mix is a wolf in the cage and is currently riding a seven-fight win streak that includes victories over Kyoji Horiguchi and Sergio Pettis. Moreover, the 20-1 former Bellator champion has been asking for a legit fight since the PFL-Bellator merger put him on the sidelines. Imagine having one fight in 17 months! You have all of the tools and momentum, but you’re stuck watching from the bench.

So, when the contract extension negotiations fell through, he walked away from the PFL just like other stars such as Patricio Pitbull and Aaron Pico. And when Dana White and the UFC called? He said yes instantly. According to X user @MagicM_MMABets, the same source that broke the news of Vera pulling out of his UFC 316 clash, confirmed that the former Bellator champion is stepping up big time. It wasn’t just about saving the card, it was about unleashing a fighter that had been waiting for more than a year.

Mario Bautista undoubtedly felt things were getting better. After all, Vera had just suffered two losses and was feeling vulnerable. But now? He’s up against one of the most dangerous and underappreciated bantamweights on the planet. This is not a lateral replacement. This is a significant increase in risk, and there will be no easing into it. Mix’s style is not suitable for formal introductions. He drags you into deep water on purpose.

And for Dana White, the timing couldn’t have been better. With all eyes on Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley in the main event and Kayla Harrison chasing gold against Julianna Pena in the co-main, the New Jersey card set to take place on June 7 was star-studded. But it missed the one fight—the dark horse matchup that gets true fans excited. Mix vs. Bautista may be just that. And with the constant hike in ticket prices and criticisms about the UFC delivering lackluster fight cards, White has now found the former Bellator fighter as his knight in shining armor.

This is a hidden gem born from chaos. A fight that wasn’t even on the agenda a week ago, but now? It might steal the show. Patchy Mix didn’t simply fill in. He flipped the script. And who knows, maybe he might win his debut fight and call out one of his most wanted fighters, whom we wanted to face ever since Mix was in the PFL. So, who is it? Well, it’s none other than the main eventer, Sean O’Malley.

Patchy Mix claims Sean O’Malley to be an easy fight

Patchy Mix did not simply enter the UFC looking for a fight; he came with a hit list. And it seems that Sean O’Malley’s name appears at the top of that list, scrawled in bold neon writing. But long before he signed his UFC contract, Mix was already talking about some top UFC fighters, and not just in his division. Back when he was still in PFL limbo, he made headlines by targeting Sean Strickland, the wild middleweight and a former champion.

That’s how arrogant Mix has always been—he wasn’t satisfied with crushing bantamweights; he believed he could move up two or three weight classes and still beat champions. So, now that he’s in the UFC and is all geared up to firmly establish himself in the bantamweight division, Sean O’Malley is bound to be his next vociferous target. After all, the former Bellator fighter was almost cocky with his prediction when he said, “I think I could finish him within two and a half rounds.”

It wasn’t a maybe, and it wasn’t cautious. Mix simply does not view O’Malley as much of a threat. Same reach, same length, but he believes he has more skill, tenacity, and winning strategies. To Mix, O’Malley is flashy for sure, but he’s a highlight reel waiting to be clipped. What do you think? Will we get to see the two fight anytime soon? Let us know in the comments.