Overview
- RIZIN announced Mix (20-3) will fight 19-year-old Kyoma Akimoto (11-1) at RIZIN 52 in Tokyo on March 6 (March 7 local) at Ariake Arena.
- The bout marks Mix’s move up from bantamweight to 145 pounds, which he says will restore his performance and enjoyment after taxing cuts.
- Mix went 0-2 in a brief UFC run, dropping a unanimous decision to Mario Bautista in June and a split decision to Jakub Wiklacz in October 2025.
- He said his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, informed him five to six weeks after the October fight that he would be released from the UFC.
- The former Bellator champion and Grand Prix winner returns to a promotion where he won in 2019, while Akimoto enters with multiple finishes and a recent win streak.