Under the bright lights in Las Vegas, Mario Bautista turned the main event into his moment. The UFC returned on Saturday, February 7, 2026, with UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira which is also known as UFC Vegas 113. The event took place at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
American bantamweight Mario Bautista came into the headline fight looking to bounce back after his first UFC defeat in over two years. At UFC 321 on October 25, 2025, where he lost a unanimous decision to Umar Nurmagomedov, ending what had been an impressive eight-fight winning streak through much of 2023–2025.
Before that loss, Bautista had compiled several notable wins, including a unanimous decision over Patchy Mix at UFC 316, a split-decision victory against former champion Jose Aldo at UFC 307 and a clear unanimous decision over Ricky Simon at Fight Night in January 2024.
That run of success prior to the Nurmagomedov defeat at UFC 321made Bautista one of the rising contenders in the 135-lb division, and he entered UFC Vegas 113 determined to reclaim momentum.
Vinicius Oliveira was riding strong momentum into the Vegas main event. Since joining the UFC after a first-round knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series, Oliveira has been unbeaten in the promotion.
He began his UFC run in March 2024 with an impressive flying-knee knockout of Bernardo Sopaj, earning both Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night bonuses.
Oliveira followed that with unanimous decision wins over Ricky Simón, Nurmagomedov, and Kyler Phillips at UFC 318 Oliveira’s continued success, including a four-fight winning streak inside the UFC marked him as one of the most promising challengers in the bantamweight rankings.
The fight got started with both fighters measuring distance and looking to establish control. Oliveira came in with sharp striking and movement, aiming to test Bautista’s defense early. Bautista responded by working his wrestling base and putting pressure on Oliveira. A clinch exchange saw Bautista secure a double-leg takedown, bringing the fight to the mat. On the ground, Bautista remained calm and worked to improve position, forcing Oliveira to defend as he maintained control for much of the round in round1.
Round 2 started Bautista’s grappling took over the fight. After keeping up the pressure, he managed to control Oliveira again with effective takedowns and positional work. At one point, Bautista transitioned into a crucifix position, limiting Oliveira’s movement and setting up his attack. The champion continued to land ground strikes and maintained dominant position throughout the round.
Midway through Round 2, Bautista capitalized on his grappling control. After breaking Oliveira’s defense, he advanced to the back and locked in a rear-naked choke. Oliveira tried to defend, but Bautista tightened the hold and forced the tap at 4:46 of the second round. The submission marked a powerful statement from Bautista and ended the fight in convincing fashion.
“I think he seen my previous fight and thought that was a hole of mine,” Bautista said about Oliveira’s willingness to grappling with him. “I was able to use my wrestling to get the job done. That’s John Crouch jiu-jitsu right there. That crucifix. That’s awesome. I was looking for that kimura, took the back instead … [the rear naked choke] was locked in. I had it fully locked in. He wasn’t going anywhere.”
“I want to get back into the top five,” Bautista said. “I think the next person, Cory Sandhagen — give me that rematch. You’re in the way to the title for me. I need that rematch. Let’s get it done.”
By the final bell, Mario Bautista had made it clear why he remains a force in the bantamweight division. With precise grappling, relentless pressure, and a perfectly timed rear-naked choke, he did not only silence the questions from his recent setback but also sent a statement to the entire division that he’s ready for the next challenge.
