Manchester — It’s not often that a young, hungry, undefeated title contender is shown the door by the UFC, but that seems to be what is happening following UFC 304 in the case of Muhammad Mokaev.
Mokaev, who had an illustrious amateur run that saw him go undefeated through 23 fights, has started his pro career at 13-0, with a single No Contest in the mix. The Dagestani, calling England home, has been a rising star in the flyweight division, but multiple Fight Week encounters with UFC 304 opponent Manel Kape, including a sucker punch during a photo op, a back-and-forth at the ceremonial weigh-ins, and a skirmish in the cage during their introductions in Manchester, have helped sour the UFC on the 23-year old.
In fact, following Saturday, Muhammad Mokaev is no longer a UFC fighter. He admitted as much after the event, but expressed hopes that the promotion would both bring him back, and offer him a title shot.
“I want to fight for the belt, and I hope the UFC gives me a new contract,” Mokaev told media outlets including Cageside Press following his fight. “I’m finished my contract, my contract is finished with the UFC. I hope they give me a new contract. I know they want exciting fights, I tried to put my striking together. For the first time in my career, I was standing three rounds, with the best flyweight striker I believe.”
His hopes may be dashed. Mokaev later admitted to setting up Kape for a sucker punch during UFC 304’s Fight Week, after alleging that Kape head butted him during training five days before his fight with Alex Perez earlier this year.
“We shook hands with Manel; whoever asked me about Las Vegas, I said what was between me and Kape stays in Vegas. And in an interview, he said once he comes to Manchester, he’s going to do it a second time,” explained Mokaev, going on to claim that it was Kape who had been a bully.
“I couldn’t come close to him in the hotel, so I told him, let’s come take picture. Once he came, I dropped him. I had to do it, because I’m not Alex Perez, I’m not other guys who, somebody can bully me. I come from a rough background, my life was tough and I give no sh*t to bully me to anyone.”
Mokaev later addressed UFC President and CEO Dana White, saying “Dana please give me a new contract. I’m young, I’m 23-years old, 7-0 in the UFC. I don’t know who’s done this apart from Jon Jones.” He added that the promotion had declined to re-sign him, concerned with his takedown-heavy approach.
White himself scoffed at those comments later in the night.
“There was so much bad sh*t that happened behind the scenes with that thing. Not good,” stated White at the post-fight press conference, before addressing the “takedown” comments Mokaev had made.
“Yeah that’s what we tell guys, we tell guys how to fight,” White sarcastically stated. “We’ve been doing this for a long time. I’m sure one of the matchmakers probably said something to him or whatever, but yeah, the matchmakers aren’t big fans of his, for many different reasons. Not just takedowns. There’s a lot of people who shoot takedowns in this business. A lot of guys that fight with that kind of style, but it’s a lot more than just that.”
Asked specifically about bringing Mokaev back, White confirmed that “he’s not under contract anymore,” adding “I think the PFL is going to get a great, undefeated guy. Good luck to him.”
Dana White was not impressed with Mokaev vs. Kape as a whole, which after a heated build-up fizzled in the cage, especially after Kape appeared to break his toe. “We kind of figured how this fight was going to go. Historically, that’s how they go.”
When it comes to Mokaev not being asked back, should that indeed happen, it appears there’s more to it than just Fight Week drama. “Listen, the stuff that played out here over the last several months, that started at the PI, other stories of this breaking out, plus many other things – these guys [the UFC matchmakers] don’t want to re-sign him,” said White.
Watch the full UFC 304 post-fight press conference with Muhammad Mokaev above.
