Mario Bautista’s got his eyes on the prize. He’s set his sights on Rob Font, aiming to climb the bantamweight rankings ladder by year’s end.
Bautista’s recent performance was nothing short of a masterclass. He went toe-to-toe with veteran Ricky Simon and emerged victorious with a unanimous decision win at UFC Fight Night 234. That was last Saturday, by the way.
This win wasn’t just another notch on his belt. It extended his winning streak to six. And guess what he did in his post-fight interview? He called out Font.
“Six in a row, hopefully get the Top 15 and the Top 10 next,” Bautista quipped. He threw down the gauntlet for Font, “If Rob Font wants to prove himself and see if he belongs in that Top 10, we can figure it out.”
Bautista didn’t just stop there. He subsequently explained his callout of Font, also sharing his roadmap for the year. “He’s lost in some certain ways,” Bautista noted, hinting at his strategy, “Whatever way the water flows easiest [is how I’ll win]…”
He’s got his sights set on springtime for his return. “The way I planned it out is Top 15, Top 10 and Top five at the end of the year [for my next opponents].”
But what about Font? He’s had a rough patch recently, with a 1-4 record in his last five Octagon appearances. He’s also coming off consecutive losses against Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo.
Bautista, however, isn’t sweating over Font’s availability. “I haven’t really looked at anyone. Nothing that would make sense,” he shrugged off. “I think everyone else is kind of booked so that’s why I figured Font.”