This one was personal for Winnemucca native Mario Bautista. After a win in February, the No. 5 ranked bantamweight in the UFC called out Cory Sandhagen for a rematch and made good on it.
Bautista earned a 29-28 unanimous decision this past Friday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Sandhagen was Bautista’s first fight in the UFC in 2019. Bautista, who turned 33 on July 1, took the fight on a week’s notice and lost by submission. The fighter has now come full circle in his career.
It was his 10th win in 11 fights and arguably his best victory of his career to improve to 18-3 in MMA and 12-3 in the UFC.
Late in the first round, Bautista took the leg out on Sandhagen and went for a submission move. He controlled the rest of the fight. Bautista continued to take control in the final five minutes.
As the final round got started, Bautista blasted Sandhagen with a huge left hook that put the former title challenger down on the canvas. Bautista jumped down, looking for the finish but Sandhagen was quick to grab a leg to at least slow him down.
“I think I am the one that gotten better in all the things,” Bautista said before the fight. “I really don’t look back on that fight and what I could do different. I am a totally different fighter. Ideally, I want to get him on the mat and grapple, that is my strength. I have to mix it up a bit, I just can’t been in there and stand up and let him ride out a decision.”
In his post-fight interview on Paramount +, Bautista said he is sure what is next for him. He believes he deserves a shot at the champion Peter Yan but also stated that the rest of the bantamweight division will have to figure itself out. Yan is slated to make his return sometime this year.
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