Austin Bashi doesn’t understand the comparisons to fellow UFC prospect Raul Rosas Jr.
Bashi (13-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), 23, also punched his ticket to the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series. Like Bashi, Rosas Jr. entered the UFC undefeated until he ran into Christian Rodriguez in his second octagon appearance. He is now 4-1 in the UFC.
Bashi will look to remain undefeated against the man who handed Rosas Jr. his first-career loss. He faces Rodriguez (11-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) in a featherweight bout Jan. 11 at UFC Fight Night 249 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
“Of course he’s tough,” Bashi told MMA Junkie Radio of Rodriguez. “He’s beat some good guys. People try to compare me to Raul, but really I feel like I’m the complete opposite than him.
“I feel like my mindset is different, my IQ is different, and just my fight style is different as a whole. He’s susceptible to a lot of stuff, I would say – a lot of striking and, of course, those takedowns. I feel like that’s going to be a big game changer in the fight.”
Bashi is a former Lights Out bantamweight champion. He finished seven of his 12 professional wins and fought competition with winning records before getting his UFC opportunity. Despite the solid experience at a young age, he has no intentions of rushing to the top in the octagon.
“Over here on the regional scene, I really took my time,” Bashi said. “I had 12 fights before I had that Contender Series fight, and that’s what I really wanted: experience. So same thing growing up over here: I want a lot of experience, fight some good guys and work my way up to the champion.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 249.
