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In a surprising turn of events, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that rising flyweight star Muhammad Mokaev is done with the UFC. Despite Mokaev's impressive victory over Manel Kape at UFC 304, which pushed his record to 7-0 in the octagon, it seems the bout will be his final appearance for the organization.
Muhammad Mokaev entered UFC 304 with high stakes, knowing his future in the UFC hinged on his performance against Manel Kape. Mokaev, confident after his decision victory, revealed that his UFC contract had ended and he was hoping to secure a new deal. However, he hinted at a possible roadblock, sharing that UFC executives told him,
“they don’t want to see me keep shooting and take somebody down.”
Dana White addressed Mokaev's comments post-fight, confirming that the 23-year-old prospect would not receive a new contract. White elaborated on the decision, stating,
“Yeah, that’s what we tell guys. We tell guys how to fight. We’ve been doing this for a long f*cking time. I’m sure one of the matchmakers probably said something to him or whatever. The matchmakers aren’t big fans of his for many different reasons. There’s a lot of people who shoot takedowns in this business, a lot of guys that fight with that type of style. But it’s a lot more than just that."
White made it clear that the decision was based on more than Mokaev's fighting style.
“He’s not under contract anymore. I think the PFL’s going to get a great undefeated guy. Good luck to him,” he said.
Mokaev's issues with the UFC weren't limited to his grappling-heavy approach. His past incidents, including a brawl with Kape at the UFC Performance Institute and another altercation during fight week in Manchester, painted a turbulent picture. Mokaev even admitted to sucker-punching Kape, which escalated tensions between the fighters.
“There was so much bad shit that happened behind the scenes with that thing. Not good,” White commented.
He emphasized that Mokaev's departure was due to multiple issues rather than a single event.
The highly anticipated bout between Mokaev and Kape at UFC 304 failed to deliver the expected fireworks. Despite a slew of security guards being deployed to keep the fighters apart before the match, the actual fight lacked significant action. The flyweights barely engaged, leading to a lackluster three-round decision victory for Mokaev. White was not surprised by the outcome.
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