Patchy Mix’s UFC profession didn’t reside up to expectations, and he’s prepared to begin a brand new journey on the RIZIN featherweight roster.
The former Bellator champion’s move caught many without warning, with Mix leaving the UFC shortly following an 0-2 run, and “No Love” believes it was down to funds.
Mix is scheduled to face Kyoma Akimoto in the primary occasion of RIZIN 52 this Friday night time, his first combat in Japan since he competed on RIZIN 20 as a consultant of Bellator. As a UFC fighter in 2025, Mix misplaced fights to Mario Bautista and Jakub Wiklacz, which had followers questioning Mix’s elite standing and his worth to the promotion.
“I was on a high contract, like a contender contract, but it had to be at bantamweight,” Mix informed MMA Fighting of his UFC departure. “I can’t afford to lose to a guy that’s unranked, you know? I just lost a split decision, first back-to-back losses in my career, it just so happened they happened in the UFC. I don’t hang my head though, I’m super honored and grateful for the opportunity. I’m super grateful to go back to RIZIN and be able to headline this card here.
“A couple of weeks after my last fight, dropping two fights and being world class at bantamweight, I really couldn’t afford to do that, especially to an unranked guy in Jakub Wiklacz. A couple of weeks after the fight, [Mix’s manager] Ali [Abdelaziz] called me. He said they were going to release me. We knew we had trouble kind of making bantamweight, so my main thing was to kind of go up to featherweight. Of course, I would have wanted that to be in the UFC, but on the contract I was on, they just couldn’t make it happen. So, you know, I wanted to sign with RIZIN and come after Razhabali Shaydullaev, the guy that has the belt there.”
With UFC disappointment now within the rear-view mirror, a run that was in sharp distinction to his 9-1 profession in Bellator, Mix mentioned, “I’m just looking ahead and just trying to be a better fighter than I was yesterday.”
“No, I wouldn’t have done it differently,” Mix mentioned. “I would have played my cards correctly, just the way they were. I’m glad I was able to fight Mario Bautista. I’m glad I was able to, you know, just fight those fights and get the experience I needed to further my career. I’m only a better fighter because of it. And I’m hoping to show that this year in 2026. With the experience I had in 2025, it’s just going to make me better.”
RIZIN 52 marks Mix’s return to featherweight for the primary time in a decade, since he competed on the regional scene within the United States. Mix mentioned his final cuts to 135 kilos had been “really brutal on my body and on my performance,” so not going by all that is a chance to “be healthy and kind of just rebrand my career.”
Mix was victorious in his first journey to Japan on the New Year’s Eve present in December 2019, tapping out Yuki Motoya in simply 97 seconds. He has nice recollections of competing in entrance of 30,000 followers on the identical card of native fan favorites corresponding to Jiri Prochazka, Manel Kape, Tenshin Nasukawa, Tofiq Musayev and the Asakura brothers, Kai and Mikuru.
“RIZIN 20 was crazy,” Mix mentioned. “It was my first time in Japan, my first experience overseas. Like, I had to get a passport for it, so was real cool. I got my first stamp in my passport. I remember it like it was yesterday. RIZIN 20 was a dream, man. It was one of my favorite cards I’ve ever fought on and I fought on MSG, the Dublin 3 Arena, Hawaii, in front of Donald Trump at the Prudential arena, T-Mobile here. You know, I fought everywhere and I really liked RIZIN at the Super Saitama Arena, so I’m super excited to go back right now. And I’m super excited to be the headliner.”
Mix’s return to Japan goes down at Ariake Arena, a smaller venue with about 15,000 followers in attendance, however the identical ambiance and theatrics that RIZIN followers are used to. Kyoma Akimoto has an MMA file of 11-1 with 4 wins in 2025, stopping his final three opponents.
“I don’t really have too many thoughts on him,” Mix mentioned. “He’s a young stud, he’s a good kid, you know, and I’m going to take my belt off and put it right on his ass. It’ll be good.”
Razhabali Shaydullaev is the present RIZIN featherweight champion and holds an ideal MMA file with 17 finishes in 17 bouts. He knocked out Kleber Koike, Viktor Kolesnik and Mikuru Asakura in an outstanding 2025 marketing campaign, and Mix mentioned he needs to “be ready for that champion”, suggesting bouts with Koike or Mikuru Asakura if victorious in his return, as an alternative of speeding for a direct title shot subsequent.
“I want three fights this year,” Mix mentioned. “I just want to stay active. I want to get mad fights before I hang it up. I want to fight now, over the summer and on the New Year’s card that they have. I definitely want on that New Year’s card though. That’s the biggest one.”
