The former UFC-issued Bellator champion will fight at RIZIN 52 on March 7

In what can only be described as a stunning fall from grace, Patchy Mick’s short tenure in the UFC has come to an end. The 32-year-old New York native was released from his contract just two fights and roughly a year after joining the UFC, marking a dramatic reversal of fortune for a fighter who once stood atop the weight class.

🚨 BREAKING: Patchy Mick has been released from the UFC

He will fight Kyoma Akimoto on March 7th at RIZIN 52

(via @rizin_PR) pic.twitter.com/2iNoVKKmeZ

— Champions Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 29, 2026

Meeks arrived in the UFC with considerable momentum. The former Bellator champion boasted a 20-1 record entering the Octagon, riding a six-fight winning streak that cemented his status as one of the most dangerous competitors in the sport outside of the UFC walls. However, the bright lights of the UFC proved anything but welcome. In back-to-back losses to Mario Bautista and Jakub Wiklacz at UFC 316 and UFC 320, Meeks failed to display the dominant arsenal of strikes and grappling that had made him a titleholder just a few years earlier. Both setbacks came by decision, and more importantly, revealed an apparent decline in the dynamic style that once made him a lethal force at 135 pounds.

The circumstances surrounding Meeks’ release suggest the fighter himself saw the writing on the wall. During a press conference at his new home, the RIZIN Fighting Federation, Meeks revealed that his departure was expected after his second straight loss. Rather than wait for further disappointment, he made the decision to part ways with the UFC – a mutual understanding that indicates how badly the time has passed.

Now, Meeks is getting a second act. He returns to RIZIN, where he previously competed in 2019, moving up to featherweight in hopes of finding success again. Moving up a weight class is not a surrender; it’s a calculated strategic change aimed at eliminating a grueling weight-loss battle that may have contributed to his uninspired performances. At Tokyo’s Ariake Arena on March 7, he will face 19-year-old prospect Kyoma Akimoto (11-1), who is riding a three-fight winning streak and has shown impressive finishing power with eight knockouts among his eleven victories.

On paper, this match represents a chance for redemption for Meeks against a younger opponent. Still, the stakes have run deeper — a loss in Japan could signal the beginning of an irreversible decline for a fighter who once dominated world competition. Mix’s ambitious post-announcement of targeting RIZIN welterweight champion Razhabali Shaidulaev rings hollow until he proves he can still play at a high level.

For MMA watchers, Mick’s downfall serves as a sobering reminder that dominance in smaller promotions does not guarantee success in the UFC. His journey from Bellator king to Japan’s arc of redemption presents one of the most intriguing comeback narratives of 2026 – one with real stakes.