Former Bellator Champion Patchy Mix Released by UFC, Signs with RIZIN
Former Bellator MMA champion Patchy Mix has experienced a swift change in promotional landscape, being released from his UFC contract less than a year after his debut with the organization. The 32-year-old fighter, boasting a professional record of 20 wins and 3 losses, has promptly secured a new bout agreement with RIZIN Fighting Federation, set to face Kyoma Akimoto at RIZIN 52 on March 6th in Japan.
mix’s highly anticipated arrival in the UFC in June of 2025 was met with considerable excitement,though,his run proved short-lived. He suffered consecutive defeats against Mario Bautista and jakub Wiklacz, ultimately leading to his departure from the promotion. Notably, Mix will be transitioning to the featherweight division for his upcoming fight, a move prompted by the challenges of his weight cuts at bantamweight.
“After my last fight, I waited about five to six weeks, and then [my management] told me I was going to be released,” Mix revealed during a RIZIN media event. “I started searching and thinking about what I wanted to do with my career. The main thing was to go up to featherweight and rebrand. I want to show patchy 2.0. I haven’t had fun in a long time as I’ve been cutting so much weight.”
Prior to joining the UFC, Mix established himself as a formidable force in Bellator, capturing the promotion’s bantamweight title in 2023.His resume includes victories over well-regarded fighters such as Sergio Pettis,Magomed Magomedov,and Kyoji Horiguchi,demonstrating his skill and experience on the regional and international stage.
Mix shares a training camp and personal life with fellow fighter Tatiana Suarez, a rising contender in the UFC’s strawweight division. Both athletes are based in Las Vegas, continuing to pursue their respective mixed martial arts careers.This move to RIZIN represents a new chapter for Mix, offering him the opportunity to revitalize his career and compete at a more natural weight class.
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* Primary Topic: Patchy Mix UFC Release
* Primary Keyword: Patchy Mix
* Secondary Keywords: UFC, RIZIN, MMA, Mixed Martial Arts, Bellator, Tatiana Suarez, fighter release, combat sports, Kyoma Akimoto, featherweight.