Patchy Mix Is Out of the UFC After Two Fights and Heads to RIZIN

Patchy Mix is no longer under contract with the UFC. The former Bellator bantamweight champion confirmed his release at a RIZIN media event in Japan, less than a year after his UFC debut and after only two fights in the Octagon.

Mix came to the UFC in 2025 and made his debut in June, stepping in on short notice against Mario Bautista. The fight went the distance and Mix lost a unanimous decision. In October 2025 he faced Jakub Wiklacz, a former KSW bantamweight champion who was also debuting in the UFC. Mix lost a split decision, although a majority of media scorecards favored him.

He said the news came weeks after that second fight. "After my last fight, I waited about five to six weeks, and then [my management] told me I was going to be released," Mix said. "I started searching and thinking about what I wanted to do with my career."

Featherweight and a new start

The 32-year-old said the move opens the door to a reset in his career and body. After years at bantamweight, he plans to go up to featherweight. "The main thing was to go up to featherweight and rebrand," he said. "I want to show Patchy 2.0. I haven't had fun in a long time because I've been cutting so much weight."

That next chapter starts in Japan. Mix has signed with Rizin Fighting Federation and is scheduled to meet Kyoma Akimoto on March 7 at RIZIN 52.

Before the UFC, Mix won the Bellator bantamweight title in 2023 and the promotion's $1 million World Grand Prix. His notable wins include Sergio Pettis, Magomed Magomedov and Kyoji Horiguchi. In 2024 he also took a decision in professional grappling against Kairat Akhmetov.

Source: Complex