The UFC’s first trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will see unbeaten flyweight prospect Muhammad Mokaev get another step up in competition.
Mokaev (11-0, 1NC) will face his second straight former title challenger when he takes on Alex Perez (24-7) at the Fight Night event on March 2, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
News of the booking was announced by Perez’s management firm, Iridium Sports Agency.
Muhammad Mokaev has torn through his UFC competition thus far. The 23-year old, who went a perfect 23-0 as an amateur, is coming off a win over Tim Elliott at UFC 294 in October. To date, Mokaev is 5-0 under the UFC banner, with only one of those fights going the distance.
With a win over Perez, the #9-ranked Mokaev could find himself on the fast-track to a title shot.
Perez has fought just once since his November 2020 loss to then-flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo. A mixture of injury, illness, and weight struggles has kept Perez out of the cage, though he did appear at UFC 277 in July 2022, losing to Alexandre Pantoja.
Only two bouts have been announced for the UFC’s March 2, 2024 date at the Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia. Those fights are:
- Muhammad Mokaev vs. Alex Perez
- Eryk Anders vs. Jamie Pickett
