The fans in attendance didn’t like the result, but Mario Bautista tuned out the feedback to grind out a win over former UFC champion and Hall of Famer Jose Aldo.
The bantamweight bout was part of the UFC 307 main card at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Bautista (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) didn’t give Aldo (32-9 MMA, 14-8 UFC) much space to operate throughout their 15 minute affair, leading to a split decision win (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).
Bautista came out aggressively with strikes to lead the dance early. Aldo responded with a few well-placed leg kicks before Bautista tested his takedown defense. Aldo kept the fight standing, denying his opponent a takedown throughout a pair of clinch situations along the fence.