Mario Bautista is a 31-year-old UFC bantamweight fighter who is currently ranked number 10 in the promotion’s rankings. Bautista started his professional MMA journey in May 2017 and currently holds a record of 15-2. Six of those 15 victories have come via submission and three via knockouts.
Where Does Mario Bautista Hail From?
Mario Bautista hails from the United States and was born in Winnemucca, Nevada. He ventured into the world of wrestling at 14 years of age and later transitioned to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Bautista then shifted from Nevada to Arizona and started training MMA under the tutelage of John Crouch at MMA Lab.
Not many details about Bautista’s personal life and family background are known at the time.
Bautista made his professonal debut on May 15, 2017, and took on Jesse Orta at Iron Boy MMA 6. The 31-year-old made light work of his opponent and finished him via strikes just under 90 seconds into the fight.
Bautista used the debut victory to build momentum and went 6-0 to start his career. This run led to him joining hands with the UFC. The Nevada native made his debut in the multi-billion-dollar promotion in January 2019.
He faced off against Cory Sandhagen in a three-round bout at UFC Fight Night 143. The event was held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The night did not go well for Bautista as Sandhagen submitted him with an armbar in the opening round of the fight.
After suffering his first professional loss, Bautista bounced back and won two fights in a row. He won two UFC bonuses worth $50,000 each for those two victories.
Bautista was then matched up against Trevin Jones in March 2021. The bout took place at UFC 259, which was held at the UFC APEX Facility in Las Vegas, Navada. Bautista suffered a knockout loss in the second round that night.
After the second professional loss, he managed to turn things around and went on an incredible winning spree. Bautista built an impressive seven-fight win streak, which included victories over prominent names like Brian Kelleher and Ricky Simon.
In his last UFC outing, the 31-year-old locked horns against MMA legend Jose Aldo at UFC 307. The event was held in October 2024, and the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, served as the venue.
Mario Bautista defeats Jose Aldo by Split Decision
28-29
29-28
29-28Thoughts on this one? 👀 #UFC307 pic.twitter.com/tlrdzTDTbA
— COMBAT SPORTS TODAY (@CSTodayNews) October 6, 2024
The fight proved to be a razor-close affair that ended with a split decision victory for Bautista. The three judges scored the contest 28-29, 29-28, and 29-28 in favor of the Nevada native.