Patchy Mix missed the contracted limit for RIZIN 54 by 2.85 kg — 6.28 pounds — and can no longer record a victory over Shoko Sato.
Mix weighed 63.85 kg (140.77 pounds) for a bout contracted at 61.00 kg (134.48 pounds). Sato hit the limit at 61.00 kg. RIZIN kept the fight on Tuesday’s card at Toyota Arena Tokyo, but the promotion attached conditions that leave only Sato eligible to receive an official win.
A Mix win or draw will be recorded as a no contest
RIZIN’s official ruling is unusually consequential. If Sato wins, the result enters both fighters’ records. If Mix wins or the bout is scored a draw, it becomes a no contest. Mix will also begin the fight with a two-point deduction, shown as a red card, because his overage exceeded 0.5 kg.
The penalty means Mix cannot end his three-fight skid on paper at RIZIN 54. Even a finish would leave his record at 20-4 with an added no contest, while Sato retains the chance to add a conventional victory.
His bantamweight promise preceded the miss
Mix announced the Sato matchup on June 23 with a direct promise about his return to bantamweight. He wrote that he was “fully dedicated” and intended to earn a RIZIN title shot:
So much respect for Sato but I’m coming back to bantamweight to prove myself. Fully dedicated and with so much vengeance. This story is far from over and this is how I’ll earn my shot at the @rizin_PR bantamweight title‼️
Everything is in my hands, I’m ready to show my true form
— Patchy Mix (@TeamMixMMA) June 23, 2026
RIZIN’s official pre-fight documentary carried the same message. Mix said, I’ll prove who I really am.
He then explained why he abandoned the 66 kg featherweight experiment used in his promotional return.
“But I shouldn’t have fought at Feather. In the Feather division, I felt a bit small. For me to reclaim my greatest honor, I strongly felt I needed to return to my original bantamweight division.”
Sato treated the booking as an opportunity rather than an insult. In the same documentary, he said, For me, I think Patchy is probably the higher-ranked fighter. It’s more like they put Sato against him, rather than him against me. That’s good, it’s a chance.
Three straight losses followed Mix’s Bellator title run
Mix enters at 20-4, with 15 finishes: two knockouts and 13 submissions. He won Bellator’s bantamweight World Grand Prix and interim title with a knockout of Raufeon Stots in 2023, then became undisputed champion by submitting Sergio Pettis. A split-decision defense over Magomed Magomedov followed in Paris in May 2024.
That 20-1 run ended after Mix joined the UFC. Mario Bautista beat him by unanimous decision in June 2025, and Jakub Wiklacz followed with a split-decision win in October. Mix then returned to RIZIN at 66 kg in March, where 19-year-old Kyoma Akimoto stopped him 37 seconds into the second round with grounded kicks. The loss, covered here with the finish, made Sato his second bout since leaving the UFC and extended the skid to three.
Sato brings 57 fights and a recent submission win
Sato is 38-17-2 across 57 professional fights. The former Shooto bantamweight world champion made two successful title defenses before a six-fight ONE Championship run, where he went 4-2. His RIZIN record stands at 4-2, including decisions over Shinobu Ota, Juntarou Ushiku and Soo Chul Kim.
The 38-year-old last fought at RIZIN 52, submitting former LFA champion John Sweeney with a triangle choke at 4:49 of the first round. That victory followed a split-decision loss to Danny Sabatello and gave Sato four wins in his past six appearances.
Mix vs. Sato remains RIZIN 54’s ninth bout. The event starts at 2 p.m. local time on Aug. 11 at Toyota Arena Tokyo, with Kleber Koike Erbst vs. Kyoma Akimoto in the featherweight main event. RIZIN lists pay-per-view coverage through RIZIN 100 CLUB, RIZIN LIVE, ABEMA, U-NEXT and Sky Perfect TV.
