A 6.3-pound weight miss and a public dressing-down from RIZIN’s CEO have put Patchy Mix’s career at a concerning point. The former UFC fighter and Bellator champion, who once dominated the bantamweight division, has now reportedly been released by RIZIN after suffering back-to-back defeats. At 33, Mix has gone from Bellator champion to a UFC veteran to someone now looking for a new home in a new promotion.

“Former Bellator Bantamweight champion and two-fight UFC veteran Patchy Mix has been released by RIZIN,” reported MMA Mania, quoting Japanese platform Dropkick.

While RIZIN has yet to issue an official statement on his departure, the circumstances surrounding his second bout in the Japanese promotion offer some context.

Patchy Mix returned to bantamweight to face Shoko Sato at RIZIN 54 in August 2026. However, he arrived at the weigh-ins significantly over the division’s limit, and the fallout was immediate.

Mix registered 140.7 pounds against the 134.4-pound bantamweight limit, missing weight by 6.3 pounds. RIZIN imposed a two-point deduction, and under the promotion’s special rules, Mix was no longer eligible to win the contest officially. Sato accepted the fight and eventually secured a unanimous decision victory due to the point deduction.

The incident also angered RIZIN CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara, who publicly criticized the American’s weight miss and called the situation unacceptable. Promotion officials even acknowledged that terminating Mix’s contract remained a possibility at the time.

Mix later apologized publicly, writing, “Very sorry to my opponent, the boss, and RIZIN fans.”

But the weight controversy wasn’t the only problem.

The 33-year-old had already suffered a disastrous start to his RIZIN run, and the defeat against Sato made it two losses in two appearances. His first outing came against 19-year-old Kyoma Akimoto at RIZIN 52 in March 2026.

So two back-to-back losses in two fights along with a disastrous weigh-in and RIZIN likely felt they had seen enough of the 21-5 fighter. Hence, the firing.

Patchy Mix had signed with the Japanese promotion hoping to revive his career at featherweight, but Akimoto stopped him in the second round. It was the first stoppage loss of Mix’s professional career and another setback after two losses in the UFC, that prompted the promotion to let him go.

The decision to move up to 145 pounds was not accidental.

Mix had grown increasingly frustrated with the physical toll of competing at bantamweight, and he believed a change in weight class could help him get his career back on track. However, after losing to Akimoto, he returned to 135 pounds for the Sato fight, only to run into the weight-cutting problem again.

With two defeats and the controversy surrounding his missed weight, Mix’s reported release from RIZIN marks his fourth consecutive loss in four fights, across the UFC and Japanese promotion. His record now stands at 20-5, a remarkable reversal for someone who entered the UFC in 2025 with a 20-1 record.

And the problems that eventually followed him to RIZIN had already begun during his short UFC run.

Mix signed with the UFC in May 2025 after parting ways with the PFL following Bellator’s merger with the promotion. At the time, he was one of the biggest free agents in the sport, with victories over some of the most respected names in the bantamweight division. But his Octagon debut didn’t go as planned.

At UFC 316 in June 2025, Mix faced Mario Bautista and suffered a unanimous decision loss, ending his impressive run of victories. His second appearance came against Jakub Wiklacz at UFC 320 in October 2025, where the short-notice replacement edged him out by split decision.

Two fights, two losses. Mix later revealed that his management informed him about five to six weeks after the Wiklacz fight that he would be released from the UFC.

The departure in January 2026 also brought financial concerns into the picture. Discussing the possibility of continuing to compete under the same circumstances, Mix said, “I really couldn’t afford to do that.” He also described his bantamweight cuts as “really brutal on my body and on my performance.”

The New York native had been struggling to make the 135-pound limit, and he felt the process was beginning to affect his performances. Rather than continue putting his body through those cuts, he decided to move up to featherweight. That eventually led him to RIZIN, where he hoped to challenge champion Razhabali Shaydullaev after getting a fresh start at 145 pounds.

Unfortunately, the move didn’t produce the turnaround he had hoped for.

Patchy Mix’s fall from Bellator champion to free agent

The current situation is a far cry from the fighter Mix was just a couple of years ago. Before joining the UFC, he had established himself as one of the most dangerous bantamweights outside the promotion, building an impressive record through his run with King of the Cage and Bellator.

Mix turned professional in 2016 and went 9-0 in King of the Cage before making his mark in Bellator. His victories over Kyoji Horiguchi, Raufeon Stots, Magomed Magomedov, and former champion Sergio Pettis helped establish him among the division’s elite.

One of his biggest moments came at Bellator 295 in 2023. Mix faced Stots in the Bantamweight Grand Prix final and knocked him out with a first-round knee to claim the tournament victory.

He followed that performance by facing Pettis at Bellator 301, where he secured a second-round rear-naked choke submission to capture the bantamweight championship. Mix had also made an appearance at RIZIN 20 in 2019, submitting Yuki Motoya in just 97 seconds while still representing Bellator.

His championship run continued through 2024, when he defeated Magomedov by split decision in their rematch. By the time he entered free agency, Mix had built a reputation as one of the best bantamweights in the world outside the UFC. His 20-1 record made his eventual UFC signing a major development.

Now, after consecutive losses in two major promotions, the former champion is once again forced to look for a new home.

At 33, Mix still has time to rebuild his career, but his next move will need to address the problems that have followed him through his recent run. His grappling remains his biggest weapon, with 13 submission victories on his professional record. Finding a promotion where he can make the most of those skills could be the first step toward getting back on track.

A return to regional MMA promotions is one possibility. LFA, Cage Warriors, and King of the Cage could offer him opportunities to rebuild momentum away from the spotlight of the UFC and RIZIN. King of the Cage, in particular, is familiar territory. Mix previously won its bantamweight championship, and a return to the promotion could give him a chance to rediscover the form that made him a top prospect.

But before considering another run at bantamweight, Mix will need to figure out what weight class works best for him. His decision to move up to featherweight was meant to put an end to the punishing cuts, yet he returned to 135 pounds for the Sato fight and missed the limit by a considerable margin. That issue could become a major obstacle to securing his next contract.

Bare-knuckle boxing is another possible route, although it would require a very different approach. BKFC could offer Mix a new platform and visibility, but its rules would take away the takedowns and submissions that have defined much of his success. His 70-inch reach could be an advantage, but with only two knockout wins on his professional record, a move into bare-knuckle competition would come with its own challenges.

Then there’s the possibility of stepping away from competition altogether. Mix could remain involved in the sport through coaching and cornering teammates at Xtreme Couture, where he has trained. That would allow him to stay close to MMA without putting himself through another demanding fight camp.

For now, though, Patchy Mix’s immediate future remains uncertain. The former Bellator champion has already experienced the highs of becoming a world champion and the lows of consecutive setbacks across two major promotions. His next decision could determine whether this is simply another difficult stretch in his career or the beginning of a much longer road back.