Mario Bautista

Mario Bautista is the kind of fighter who climbs the rankings without much noise and suddenly is impossible to ignore. A smooth, well-rounded bantamweight, he assembled one of the longer win streaks in the division by combining technical striking, slick scrambles and a real submission threat into a complete package.

The wins have come against meaningful names. He outpointed the legendary Jose Aldo, beat former Bellator champion Patchy Mix in a statement performance, and notched victories over contenders like Ricky Simon to push his way into the 135-pound rankings. His record sits around 17-3, with the blemishes coming against elite competition.

His lone recent setback, a loss to the dangerous Umar Nurmagomedov, came against one of the most feared talents in the division and did little to dim his trajectory. Still in his prime, Bautista has fought his way into the title picture and profiles as a quietly excellent contender who can beat opponents in every phase of the fight.