Mario Bautista reacts to UFC tagging him in Sandhagen loss

Mario Bautista checked social media recently and found the UFC had tagged him in a clip he did not expect to see — footage of his first-round armbar loss to Cory Sandhagen from 2019.

The bantamweights run it back at UFC 329 on Saturday in Las Vegas, and Bautista told MMA Fighting he was puzzled by the post. "I clicked on it and it's me getting submitted by him," he said. "One, I'm like why would you tag me in this? Two, when I look at it, I was so young and inexperienced. There's not really much to take away from it. I think it's going to be completely different this second go round."

How experience shapes Bautista's UFC 329 rematch

The first fight happened over six years ago on a week's notice when Bautista made his octagon debut as a 6-0 prospect. Per Sherdog, Bautista believes experience is the defining factor this time around. He reeled off an eight-fight win streak between 2022 and 2025, facing big names like Jose Aldo and Patchy Mix, and carries a 9-1 record over his past 10 outings. Sandhagen is coming off a title-fight loss to Merab Dvalishvili in October, while Bautista bounced back from a defeat to Umar Nurmagomedov with a February win over Vinicius Oliveira.

Bautista admitted during UFC 329 media day that both fighters have evolved since Brooklyn 2019, but he believes his improvements have been more drastic. He remembers Sandhagen's leverage and hips from grappling exchanges but said he cannot draw much else from the first meeting. "I don't look back at it and think what can I do differently this time?" he told MMA Fighting. "It's just been so much time in between and so much growth within myself as far as skills and mentally and being prepared for those big moments."

A win over a former title challenger like Sandhagen would inject Bautista into a bantamweight title picture crowded with rematches. Champion Petr Yan is expected to face Dvalishvili in a trilogy later this year, with Sean O'Malley waiting for the winner. Bautista pointed out he has never fought any of them, making him a fresh contender if he shakes things up Saturday. "With a win over Sandhagen, a new contender emerges," he said.

UFC 329 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Photo: Senior Airman Ty Pilgrim / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Mario Bautista reminded about past loss against Cory Sandhagen after UFC tagged him in submission video | MMA Fighting
• sherdog.com — Mario Bautista expects 'completely different fight' against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 329