Patchy Mix feels that he’s the best bantamweight on the planet ahead of Bellator return: “I’m the most dominant”

Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix believes he’s the best 135-pound fighter on the planet.

‘War Ready’ has been out of the cage since a second-round submission victory over Sergio Pettis last November. That victory at Bellator 301 saw Patchy Mix become the undisputed bantamweight champion. He previously won the interim title while ‘The Phenom’ was on the shelf due to injury, and won the bantamweight Grand Prix.

This Friday night in Paris, Patchy Mix will look to make his first title defense against former rival Magomed Magomedov. He previously handed ‘The Tiger’ a loss by fifth-round submission back in December 2022. While Mix is looking to hand Magomedov another loss this weekend, he’s also out to prove a point.

Speaking in a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Patchy Mix stated that he’s confident that he’s the best bantamweight on the planet. While names such as Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili have a claim, the Bellator champion just believes he’s more dominant. In the interview, Mix stated that skill-for-skill, nobody can compete with him at 135 pounds.

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Patchy Mix wins the bantamweight strap. (Photo credit: Lucas Noonan/Bellator MMA)

Bellator’s Patchy Mix believes that he’s the greatest bantamweight fighter on the planet

Patchy Mix also stated that the only reason why people feel otherwise is that he doesn’t fight in the UFC.  While it’s taken the Bellator fighter extra time to earn respect due to that fact, he’s confident that he will change fans’ minds. If he has to move up and win another title at featherweight, he might just do that too.

“Those three letters are what gets other guys ranked above me. Much respect to those guys.” Patchy Mix stated to ESPN MMA earlier this week ahead of his Bellator return. “But if you look at all of us, skill set for skill set, I’m the No. 1 guy. I’m 19-1 and I’ve got the most finishes of everyone. I’m the most dominant… Since I don’t have those three letters in front of me, I feel like it’s a lot harder for me to earn my respect. But it always seems right there waiting for me.”

He continued, “If I’m going to move up to 145, it’s not going to be for an [entire PFL] season. It’s going to be for superfights. It’s going to be champ versus champ, big fights.”

What do you make of these comments from Patchy Mix? Will you watch his return in the main event of Bellator Champions Series 2 this Friday?