Mario Bautista Warns Cory Sandhagen Ahead of UFC 329 Rematch
Mario Bautista believes the time has finally come to settle unfinished business with Cory Sandhagen when they meet again at UFC 329. The two first fought in Bautista’s UFC debut in January 2019, where Sandhagen won by first-round submission. Now, seven years later, Bautista says both fighters have improved, but he believes he has grown the most and expects a very different outcome.
Bautista said he had always believed their paths would cross again and immediately accepted the rematch when the UFC offered it. He admitted Sandhagen is a smart and dangerous opponent but warned that trying to take the fight to the ground would be a mistake. According to Bautista, if Sandhagen chooses to wrestle, he is confident he can turn the tables and secure a submission victory this time around.
The American is expecting a fast-paced contest and says his game plan is to make it a complete mixed martial arts fight rather than a striking battle. Bautista believes a victory over Sandhagen would move him into title contention and could earn him a No. 1 contender fight before the end of the year. He remains confident that defeating one of the division’s top-ranked fighters would put him within reach of a UFC championship opportunity.
