Former Bellator champion released by UFC, will fight at RIZIN 52 on March 7th

In what can only be described as a stunning fall from grace, Patchy Mix’s brief tenure with the UFC has come to an end. The 32-year-old New York native has been released from his contract just two fights and approximately one year after joining the UFC, marking a dramatic reversal of fortune for a fighter who once stood atop the bantamweight landscape.

BREAKING: Patchy Mix has been released from the UFC

He will fight Kyoma Akimoto on March 7 at RIZIN 52

(via @rizin_PR) pic.twitter.com/2iNoWKKmeZ

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 29, 2026

Mix arrived at the UFC on the back of considerable momentum. The former Bellator champion boasted a 20-1 record entering the Octagon, riding a six-fight winning streak that had cemented his status as one of the sport’s most dangerous competitors outside the UFC’s walls. However, the bright lights of the UFC proved to be anything but welcoming. In consecutive losses to Mario Bautista and Jakub Wiklacz at UFC 316 and UFC 320, Mix failed to showcase the dominant striking and grappling arsenal that made him a title holder just years prior. Both setbacks came via decision, and more concerningly, they exposed an apparent decline in the dynamic style that once made him a lethal force at 135 pounds.

The circumstances surrounding Mix’s release suggest the fighter himself saw the writing on the wall. During a press conference with his new home, RIZIN Fighting Federation, Mix revealed that his departure was anticipated following his second consecutive loss. Rather than waiting for further disappointment, he made the decision to part ways with the UFC—a mutual understanding that signals just how poorly the stint had gone.

Now, Mix gets a second act. He returns to RIZIN, where he previously competed in 2019, moving up to featherweight in hopes of finding renewed success. The move upward in weight class isn’t a surrender; it’s a calculated strategic shift aimed at eliminating the grueling weight-cut struggle that may have contributed to his uninspired performances. At the Ariake Arena in Tokyo on March 7, he’ll face 19-year-old prospect Kyoma Akimoto (11-1), who enters on a three-fight winning streak and has shown impressive finishing prowess with eight knockouts among his eleven victories.

On paper, this matchup represents a redemption opportunity for Mix against a younger opponent. Yet the stakes cut deeper—a loss in Japan could signal the beginning of an irreversible decline for a fighter who once dominated world-class competition. Mix’s ambitious post-release statements about targeting RIZIN featherweight champion Razhabali Shaydullaev ring hollow until he proves he can still perform at a high level.

For MMA observers, Mix’s downfall serves as a sobering reminder that dominance in smaller promotions doesn’t guarantee UFC success. His journey from Bellator kingpin to Japanese redemption arc represents one of 2026’s most intriguing comeback narratives—one with genuine stakes riding on it.

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