Fans were far from pleased after Mario Bautista defeated Jose Aldo in October 2024. Still, defying expectations, Bautista came back with a major upset over Patchy Mix in June. His momentum, however, was stalled by Umar Nurmagomedov, who handed him a decision loss, halting his climb. So, Bautista’s matchup against Vinicius Oliveira carried significant stakes.

Fortunately for him, he delivered when it mattered most, earning a second-round submission victory at UFC Vegas 113. Now, after the much-needed rebound win, who’s next for Bautista? And can he put together a run that leads him to a bantamweight title shot?

Three paths to a title shot for Mario Bautista

Bautista could be matched up against No. 4–ranked Cory Sandhagen, who is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili in October. Such a bout would offer Sandhagen a meaningful opportunity to bounce back, while giving Bautista a chance to avenge his loss and make a major statement in the division.

Another option is the UFC turning to one of its biggest stars, Sean O’Malley. ‘Sugar’ is coming off a decision win over Song Yadong at UFC 324, and a matchup with Bautista would make sense for both men. With Song Yadong likely pushed down the ladder and the currently No.9-ranked Bautista moved up after the win, a fight with O’Malley could very well materialize. This fight would help both men build momentum toward a title shot against the newly crowned bantamweight champion, Petr Yan.

In a best-case scenario, Bautista could even earn a fight against former champion Merab Dvalishvili. This would give Dvalishvili a chance to rebound from his devastating loss to Yan, while offering Bautista the opportunity to bolster his résumé with a win over a dominant former champion—potentially securing his own shot at Petr Yan.

That said, the real question remains: what does Mario Bautista want?

Bautista wants his revenge

Bautista’s loss to Umar Nurmagomedov snapped his eight-fight winning streak. But rather than shaking his confidence, the setback affirmed his place among the division’s elite. “What made me realize is I belong at the very top,” Bautista said before tonight’s fight. “Everyone thinks that Umar can be a champion and probably will be a champion, and I gave him a pretty tough fight.”

A victory on Saturday has put Bautista back on track toward the top five, where Sandhagen currently sits. The former matchup dates back to Bautista’s UFC debut in 2019, when Sandhagen submitted him in the first round. “One I’ve always wanted for a while was that Sandhagen rematch,” Bautista said. “I lost my debut, and I chased him all the way down to the very top, so I think that would be a great story.”

It appears Mario Bautista knows exactly what he wants next, but whether the UFC grants his wish remains to be seen. Who do you think he should fight?