It’s been a rough year for Patchy Mix. Once Bellator’s shining bantamweight star, now a struggling UFC fighter trying to regain his footing, Mix has found himself in the headlines again, but not for the reasons he’d hoped. Nearly eighteen months after his last Bellator fight, the French MMA Federation (FMMAF) has declared his 2024 win over Magomed Magomedov a loss due to a failed drug test. The kicker? It was for ma****na.

As per a post on X by Tapology, “We received notice this week of a failed drug test for athlete PATCHY MIX related to his May 2024 Bellator fight against Magomed Magomedov in Paris. Mix originally won the fight via split decision. The FMMAF, a federation that has legal authority over MMA fights in France, has communicated that due to the failed test, Mix’s win is being overturned from a WIN to a LOSS.”

But despite the announcement, the combat sports world barely blinked. In fact, the reaction was more of an eye roll than outrage. After all, the situation surrounding Patchy Mix’s failed test isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. According to Mike Mazzulli, the longtime director of the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation and the man who oversaw Bellator’s drug testing that night, the New York State-born fighter actually passed his test.

However, a separate test conducted by the FMMAF in France apparently told a different story. That test, which reportedly came back positive for ma****a, was used as the basis for overturning Mix’s win more than a year later. Mazzulli, in a conversation with MMA Fighting, called the decision “the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever seen,” confirming he had forwarded the negative results to the French commission weeks after the fight but never heard back. The FMMAF’s decision officially lists the bout as a loss, but the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC), the official record keeper for combat sports, still recognizes it as a win. So, depending on where you look, Patchy Mix both won and lost the same fight.

If anything, the situation exposes how fragmented MMA’s global drug-testing standards remain. In Nevada, ca****is was formally removed from the banned substance list in 2024. The UFC’s current anti-doping policy, since switching from USADA to Drug Free Sport, no longer tests for m****na at all. For many, this wasn’t a case of an athlete cheating; it was bureaucracy clinging to outdated rules. Even Patchy Mix seemed to shrug it off, posting on an Instagram comment, “Weed ain’t no performance enhancing drug. Only in Paris,” complete with laughing emojis.

Unfortunately, Mix doesn’t have much to laugh about lately. Since joining the UFC earlier this year after Bellator’s absorption into the PFL, he’s suffered two consecutive losses. Once hailed as the next big thing at 135 pounds, his momentum has sputtered. And according to a veteran of the sport, it might not be a surprise if he finds himself being shown the door by the promotion after his latest performance!

Josh Thomson hands Patchy Mix a word of caution as he claims he’s “not the same”

Things just keep getting tougher for Patchy Mix. After back-to-back losses in the UFC, the once-dominant Bellator champion now finds himself fighting for more than just wins; he’s fighting to stay in the promotion. And according to former Strikeforce star Josh Thomson, that window might be closing fast.

Speaking on his Weighing In podcast after Mix’s split-decision loss to Jakub Wiklacz at UFC 320, Thomson didn’t mince words as he stated, “Patchy Mix either needs to find a new gym, a new coach, or he needs to figure something out. Because I don’t see him being the same fighter he was in Bellator, which is fine. In the UFC, things are different. The bright lights hit a little bit differently. The energy hits a little bit differently.”

It’s a harsh assessment, but not an unfounded one. Mix’s performances have lacked the dominance that once defined him, no explosive takedowns, no suffocating top control. Even Thomson, who has long sung Mix’s praises, admitted something feels off as he continued, “The kid that I saw in the first fight, I was willing to give him a pass against Bautista because he took the fight on short notice. Tonight he had a full camp. He fought a guy who was a decent grappler, but was not at the level of his grappling, but still did things to him that I have not seen people do to him.”

Thomson pointed out that the expectations were sky-high when Mix entered the UFC with even names like Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling backing his skills. Yet, two fights in, that hype has fizzled. And with that, Thomson pointed out, “I would be surprised if they (UFC) kept him. I hate to say that, because I want him to stay. I want him to be a part of the UFC because I believe he has a bright future. Maybe it’s not right now, though. I don’t know. Something has happened. It’s not the same.”

Between a disputed drug test, a pair of disappointing losses, and growing doubts from veterans like Josh Thomson, the once-promising star now finds himself at a career crossroads. It’s a cruel twist for a fighter who once seemed destined to dominate wherever he went. The irony is hard to miss: a man once praised for his mental toughness and grappling genius now looks lost both in and out of the cage. Whether it’s the weight of expectation, the pressure of the big stage, or simply bad luck, something has undeniably changed.