Patchy Mix explains UFC exit, moves to featherweight for RIZIN return

patchy mix framed his departure from the UFC as a financial and weight-cut issue and returned to headline RIZIN 52 at featherweight. The change of promotion and division immediately carried consequences: Kyoma Akimoto defeated Mix by TKO in the second round at RIZIN 52.

Patchy Mix on UFC exit

Mix characterized his UFC run as a disappointment relative to earlier success and said his release followed back-to-back losses. He said he had been on a higher-tier contract that required competing at bantamweight and that losing to an unranked opponent made that arrangement untenable. A few weeks after his second loss, Mix said his manager informed him of the promotion’s decision to release him. He cited difficulty making the bantamweight cut and made clear his preference to move up in weight, a move he sought in his previous promotion but could not secure under his UFC contract. Mix said signing with RIZIN allowed him to aim for the organization’s featherweight title-holder and to rebrand his career away from harsh cuts.

Akimoto stops Mix in Round 2

The main event ended with Kyoma Akimoto defeating Mix by TKO in the second round, with the finish recorded as punches and soccer kicks. The stoppage concluded Mix’s first outing in RIZIN’s featherweight ranks and served as an early answer to how his body and style would translate after abandoning severe bantamweight cuts.

Card roundup and notable finishes

RIZIN 52 produced several decisive results across the card. Luiz Gustavo scored a knockout win over Taisei Sakuraba in Round 2. Ryo Takagi earned a first-round TKO doctor’s stoppage at the 5: 00 mark of Round 1. Koji Takeda won a unanimous decision over Viktor Kolesnik, the judges scoring the fight 29-28 across the board. Other stoppages included Yuki Ito’s first-round TKO win and Tony Laramie’s third-round TKO victory. Jinnosuke Kashimura secured a first-round submission by anaconda choke against Hideo Tokoro, and Noeru Narita won by first-round guillotine choke.

Key takeaways

• Mix said financial terms and an inability to safely make bantamweight led to his UFC release and move to featherweight.
• The featherweight debut at RIZIN 52 ended in a TKO loss to Kyoma Akimoto in Round 2.
• Mix has stated his intention to pursue the RIZIN featherweight title and to rebuild his career free of punishing weight cuts.

Looking ahead, Mix has signaled a clear path: remain at featherweight to avoid brutal cuts and pursue the organization’s reigning featherweight champion. If he can stay healthy and adapt to the heavier division, he has publicly framed the move as an opportunity to rebrand his career and chase a title in his new promotion. The immediate indicator is the result in Tokyo, which establishes a baseline for how Mix must adjust in coming fights to meet that goal.