Patchy Mix faced a tough challenge in his first fight inside the octagon at UFC 316. He absorbed significant damage, taking 173 strikes from Mario Bautista, ultimately leading to a unanimous decision loss.
Following the bout, there was speculation about whether Mix succumbed to the pressure of fighting under the bright UFC lights and the infamous jitters newcomers sometimes experience. Mix himself commented post-fight that he took the fight on short notice after joining the UFC as a free agent subsequent to his PFL release, vowing to improve.
However, UFC veteran Matt Brown believes Mix`s struggles were less about the spotlight and more about him realizing that being a top fighter in promotions like PFL or Bellator doesn`t compare to the level of competition found in the UFC.
“I’ll tell you what, the UFC just has the best fighters in the world,” Brown stated during an appearance on The Fighter vs. The Writer. “I think these few fights that we talk about where these guys are coming as champions from other [promotions] and everybody thinks they’re so good, I think it just shows the level of disparity of competition in the UFC.”
Brown elaborated, “Maybe the lights and the media and all that kind of stuff play a role in it but I think it just shows the disparity. The number 15 guy [in the UFC] could be champion in any other promotion that he went to. It’s just an extreme difference between the UFC and everybody else. They have control of this sport, of all the best fighters and I think that’s all there is to it. We’ve seen it a million times.”
Mix`s difficult debut mirrored similar issues faced by former Bellator featherweight king Patricio Pitbull just weeks prior in his first UFC outing against Yair Rodriguez.
Brown suggests the experience might differ for some fighters entering the UFC roster, such as Aaron Pico, who he expects to perform well when he debuts because Pico is still approaching his athletic prime in the sport.
In contrast, Mix and Pitbull arrived as established champions from Bellator but seemingly discovered that achieving the highest level elsewhere doesn`t equate to being the best in the UFC.
“The UFC’s just a different f*cking animal,” Brown asserted. “There’s bloodthirsty lions in there that just want to eat your soul. It’s just a different level of competition.”
While some promotions like the PFL have positioned themselves as significant players in the MMA landscape, Brown remains unconvinced when comparing their top talent directly to the UFC roster.
Brown feels that, in essence, every other organization putting on fights functions as the minor leagues, while the UFC represents the majors.
“The UFC just has the best fighters, bar none,” Brown declared. “What you do outside the UFC just doesn’t mean jack sh*t anymore, other than to get you to the UFC.”
He used an analogy: “Like college football — would the National Champion team beat the worst NFL team? It’s the same thing. The UFC is the NFL. When they come to the UFC, it’s just a different f*cking animal. They’re not used to that level of competition.”
Beyond discussions of nerves or wilting under the spotlight inside the octagon, Brown believes the most significant differences fighters encounter stem from elements outside the cage.
He drew from his own experience joining the UFC after appearing on the sixth season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show.
“I think what a lot of people don’t recognize or don’t really think about is when you get into the UFC, at least in my situation and I’m sure that others can relate, you suddenly have about 20 more cousins than you had the year before,” Brown explained. “Now you’re looked at differently when you walk into a restaurant. People see who you are. They know who you are.”
Brown views these external aspects as more influential than fight night jitters. “Those are the kinds of things that can either get to your head or you can handle it more stoically or properly. I think these kinds of side issues is more of a factor than like doing an extra media day. Even though media stuff, that can get to your head. You’re like ‘they all want to f*cking talk to me!’ Again, when you’re talking about these guys that aren’t used to that kind of stuff, it can easily get to your head.”
Regarding the actual fight itself, Brown stated he didn`t feel a significant difference between his early career bouts and his 15 years competing in the UFC.
While the pressure certainly intensifies, Brown maintained that once the punches start, he always settled back into his fighting mindset inside the cage. This is why he isn`t entirely convinced that “octagon jitters” fully explain Mix`s performance.
“I don’t think everybody is made for that, especially you’ve got to think of the complexities of you’ve already been a fighter for so long like a Patchy Mix,” Brown said. “Kind of already a legend in your own right. High level, very good. Now all of a sudden people are looking at you differently. People are talking to you differently. Now people are treating you differently. I think those little things can play a bigger role than having an extra media day or f*cking the lights are a little brighter.”
He concluded, “Realistically, when you get into the octagon, I fought in gas station parking lots before, I fought in a cage once it was built with like dog kennel fencing, it had the bar across the middle, and they had that show in a rec center in the f*cking middle of nowhere, and I fought for a four-wheeler. That was my prize if I won. It’s still the f*cking same. When you fight in the UFC and the lights come on, it’s still the same. It’s all that sh*t leading up to it and all the sh*t outside of it that’s different. The UFC, I swear to god when the bell rings and the referee says go, it’s the same f*cking thing but you made it something different.”
