In two massive signings, BELLATOR MMA has extended the contracts of Bantamweight World Champion Sergio Pettis (23-5) and Interim Bantamweight Champion Patchy Mix (18-1) on long-term deals ahead of their to-be-scheduled, unmissable championship unification clash. Fight details for the blockbuster title fight will soon be announced by the promotion.
Milwaukee’s Pettis, 29, has been flawless since joining the BELLATOR roster in 2020. The reigning 135-pound titleholder rapidly ascended the divisional rankings before winning the World Championship from Juan Archuleta (28-4) at BELLATOR 258. In his first title defense, Pettis broke the internet, scoring a viral fourth-round, “Knockout of the Year”-worthy spinning backfist knockout against ex-titlist Kyoji Horiguchi (31-5). In 2022, Pettis suffered a knee injury that required over a year-long layoff and forced him out of the $1,000,000 Bantamweight World Grand Prix. This past month, Pettis returned to the BELLATOR cage and defeated his third-straight world champion by outclassing BELLATOR G.O.A.T. and reigning Featherweight World Champion Patricio Pitbull (35-6) in front of a sold-out crowd at BELLATOR 297 in Chicago. The Roufusport-trained bantamweight kingpin currently ranks as BELLATOR’s No. 4 pound-for-pound talent.
During Pettis’ absence, Buffalo’s Mix emerged as the Bantamweight World Grand Prix victor and interim titleholder, setting up a blockbuster showdown with Pettis to unify the titles. Also 29, Mix has steamrolled his opposition in BELLATOR; the Xtreme Couture product defeated Horiguchi and Magomed Magomedov (19-3) on his way to the Grand Prix finale against Raufeon Stots (19-2). The submission specialist shocked the world, starching the never-before-finished Stots with an 80-second knee knockout that dominated social media for weeks. Mix solidified his status as one of the world’s best with Pettis sidelined, and he was cageside to witness Pettis’ defeat of Pitbull at BELLATOR 297. Mix boasts an 86% finish rate inside the BELLATOR cage and is ranked as the promotion’s No. 1 bantamweight and No. 9 pound-for-pound talent.
Event and broadcast details for this Fight of the Year frontrunner between Pettis and Mix will be announced shortly. This massive announcement re-affirms both men’s commitment to reigning atop the marquee BELLATOR bantamweight division, with each of the world-class champions signing exclusive, multi-fight contract extensions.
Subscribe
