Fortunes can change extremely fast in the world of MMA, as Muhammad Mokaev, the once-golden boy of the flyweight division, found himself nowhere to go. Not long ago, he was the undefeated phenom, a name whispered with reverence in the MMA communities. But now, Mokaev finds himself in a twilight zone of uncertainty with PFL turning its back on him.
The 24-year-old fighter recently parted ways with the UFC under less-than-ideal circumstances. Now, as PFL president Ray Sefo recently revealed, the Professional Fighters League isn’t keen on picking up where the UFC left off.
“I’ve spoken to people that are in the know, and apparently he’s [Muhammad Mokaev] just a pain in the ass to deal with. And so, no, we’re not interested,” said Sefo after PFL 7.
Sefo claimed to have spoken to many people who knew Muhammad Mokaev outside the Octagon. Their verdict was not good, as the young fighter is apparently extremely hard to work with.
This news comes as a blow to Mokaev, who now finds himself with a flawless record and no organization to showcase his skill in. Muhammad Mokaev’s UFC career was impressive on paper. He boasted a 7-0 record in the promotion, with victories over ranked contenders. But, apparently, his behind-the-scenes antics may have been too much for the UFC to handle, and the last hotel brawl against Manel Kape may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Dana White Reveals The Reason For Cutting Muhammad Mokaev
UFC CEO Dana White shed some light on Mokaev’s situation after UFC 304, as rumors had crept in about his removal from the roster. He revealed that the UFC matchmakers weren’t “big fans” of Mokaev for various reasons. Plus, the lead-up to UFC 304 didn’t help Mokaev’s case.
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Muhammad Mokaev was involved in multiple altercations with opponent Manel Kape. One incident even saw Mokaev trick Kape into a photo op before sucker-punching him. White hinted at “bad sh*t” happening behind the scenes, beyond what the public saw. He also stated that there were many reasons other than Mokaev’s fighting style that led the UFC to not resign him.
Despite the drama, Muhammad Mokaev defeated Kape in a rather uneventful decision at UFC 304. But by then, the damage to his reputation had already been done. Mokaev has since tried to explain his actions on social media. He maintained that his dream was still to become a UFC champion. However, with both the UFC and PFL closing their doors, that dream seems further away than ever.
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