Mario Bautista wants a big fight next after UFC 329 triumph

UFC bantamweight Mario Bautista is ready to shoot for the stars after his big win over Cory Sandhagen at UFC 329.

At UFC 329, Mario Bautista really vaulted himself into title contention at 135 pounds with a win over Cory Sandhagen. Some felt as if the decision was harsh on Cory, but either way, Mario is still the one who got his hand raised in victory.

RELATED: Cory Sandhagen explains why he’ll be difficult for Mario Bautista to ‘deal with’ in UFC 329 rematch

Bautista has always been on the outskirts of the championship conversation in the UFC, but a win over a seasoned contender like Sandhagen is the kind of statement he needed to make to prove that he has the potential to go further.

After the fight, Bautista had the following to say about what he wants next.

Bautista looks ahead to what’s next

“I’m not too sure who’s (next). I know there’s some fights that are going to happen here pretty soon, so we’ll see how everything gets shaken up,” Bautista said at the UFC 329 post-fight press conference. “Hopefully I can fight for the belt or the No. 1 contender, at the very least, and we’ll see by maybe the end of this year, early next year. We’ll see how things get shaken up.”

“It did mean something personal to me,” Bautista said. “That’s the only one that’s itched at me a little bit. I like to be prepared for fights, and that’s not how I imagined my debut to go. But it just so happened to be in such a big fight for a top spot, you know, getting a win over him, chasing him down. It’s just crazy how it all worked out.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

Is Mario Bautista now a legitimate championship contender in the bantamweight division? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!