Report: Patchy Mix released by RIZIN after 0-2 run and weight miss

Former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix has reportedly been released by RIZIN after an 0-2 run with the Japanese promotion, according to Japanese outlet Dropkick, with the story picked up by MMA Mania, Knockout Daily, MMA Scene and BJPenn between November 3 and 4, 2026. Dropkick reported that Mix was removed from RIZIN's active roster and that the remainder of his contract was terminated. RIZIN has not issued a formal announcement confirming the cut.

The 33-year-old American, nicknamed "No Love," now appears to be a free agent again — his third employment change in less than two years after short stints with the UFC and RIZIN following his Bellator title reign.

How the RIZIN run unraveled

Mix signed with RIZIN after the UFC released him and moved up to featherweight for a fresh start. In his promotional debut at RIZIN 52 in March, 19-year-old prospect Kyoma Akimoto stopped him in the second round — the first stoppage loss of Mix's professional career, per MMA Mania and Knockout Daily.

He then dropped back to bantamweight to face Shoko Sato at RIZIN 54. Mix missed weight by 6.3 pounds, weighing in at 140.7 pounds for a 134.4-pound limit. RIZIN deducted two points under its special rules, meaning Mix could not officially win even if he outworked Sato. Sato took a unanimous decision.

RIZIN CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara publicly called the weight miss unacceptable, and promotion officials acknowledged at the time that terminating Mix's contract was a possibility. Mix apologized afterward, writing that he was "very sorry to my opponent, the boss, and RIZIN fans," according to Knockout Daily. That possibility has now reportedly become reality, though without an official RIZIN statement the report remains attributed to Dropkick and the secondary outlets that amplified it.

Fall from Bellator peak to free agency

At his peak, Mix was widely viewed as one of the best bantamweights outside the UFC. His Bellator résumé included wins over Kyoji Horiguchi, Raufeon Stots (Grand Prix final knockout at Bellator 295), Magomed Magomedov and a title-winning submission of Sergio Pettis at Bellator 301 — still listed across reports as his most recent victory.

He signed with the UFC in May 2025 as a 20-1 free agent after the PFL declined a contract extension in the wake of the Bellator merger. The Octagon chapter lasted two fights: a unanimous decision loss to Mario Bautista at UFC 316 in June 2025, then a split decision loss to short-notice replacement Jakub Wiklacz at UFC 320 that October. The UFC released him in January 2026. Mix later said bantamweight cuts had been "really brutal on my body and on my performance," which was the stated reason for the move to 145 pounds before the Sato booking pulled him back down.

Four straight losses across the UFC and RIZIN leave Mix searching for a new home. BJPenn and MMA Scene note he continues to work as a cornerman and coach at Xtreme Couture, including with UFC strawweight contender Tatiana Suarez. Akimoto, meanwhile, has climbed to 13-1 and is scheduled to challenge featherweight champion Razhabali Shaidulloev at Super RIZIN 6 on December 31 in Nagoya — a title shot for the prospect who stopped Mix on debut.

What is confirmed vs. reported

Confirmed from multiple outlets covering Mix's recent fights: the Akimoto stoppage at RIZIN 52, the Sato decision and 6.3-pound miss at RIZIN 54, Sakakibara's public criticism, Mix's UFC release after Bautista and Wiklacz, and his Bellator title résumé. Reported by Dropkick and repeated with attribution by MMA Mania, Knockout Daily, MMA Scene and BJPenn: that RIZIN has removed Mix from the active roster and terminated the rest of his deal. Until RIZIN confirms or Mix announces a new signing, the release should be treated as a report, not an official promotion statement.