In what can only be described as a surprising fall from grace, Patchy Mix’s temporary tenure with the UFC has come to an end. The 32-year-old Latest York native has been released from his contract just two fights and roughly one yr 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’ll fight Kyoma Akimoto on March 7 at RIZIN 52
(via @rizin_PR) pic.twitter.com/2iNoWKKmeZ
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 29, 2026
Mix arrived on the UFC on the back of considerable momentum. The previous Bellator champion boasted a 20-1 record entering the Octagon, riding a six-fight winning streak that had cemented his status as considered one of the game’s most dangerous competitors outside the UFC’s partitions. Nevertheless, the intense 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 didn’t showcase the dominant striking and grappling arsenal that made him a title holder just years prior. Each setbacks got here via decision, and more concerningly, they exposed an apparent decline within the dynamic style that after made him a lethal force at 135 kilos.
The circumstances surrounding Mix’s release suggest the fighter himself saw the writing on the wall. During a press conference along with his latest home, RIZIN Fighting Federation, Mix revealed that his departure was anticipated following his second consecutive loss. Slightly than waiting for further disappointment, he made the choice 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 as much as featherweight in hopes of finding renewed success. The move upward in weight class is not a give up; it is a calculated strategic shift aimed toward eliminating the grueling weight-cut struggle which will have contributed to his uninspired performances. On 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 ending prowess with eight knockouts amongst 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 start 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 hole 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 considered one of 2026’s most intriguing comeback narratives—one with real stakes riding on it.