Muhammad Mokaev, the 23-year-old flyweight, is making waves in the UFC with his undefeated status, but all that seems to be for naught. His UFC 304 fight against Manel Kape was the last fight on his contract, and it seems that Dana White isn’t too keen on extending it. And this surprising revelation came at the UFC 304 post-fight press conference.
Although it is not official yet, White’s UFC has apparently cut ties with Muhammad Mokaev. This decision came despite Mokaev’s impressive undefeated record and recent win at UFC 304. White stated that the young fighter’s problems with matchmaking were the reason for this.
“The matchmakers aren’t big fans of his [Muhammad Mokaev] for many different reasons… He’s not under contract anymore… I think the PFL’s going to get a great undefeated guy. Good luck to him,” White stated.
The 23-year-old Dagestani-born fighter has been a rising star in the flyweight division. His grappling-heavy style has led him to an impressive 11-0 professional record. Mokaev’s latest victory came against Manel Kape in a highly anticipated grudge match at UFC 304. However, it seems that not everyone in the UFC brass was impressed.
Muhammad Mokaev’s future remains in limbo after the recent announcement by White. It is very rarely the case that a fighter was being let go with such a pristine undefeated record. However, the matchmaking problems that go along with ‘The Punisher’ were apparently too much for the UFC to handle. This was also evident from his pre-fight interview, where he talked about the same.
Muhammad Mokaev Talks About UFC Matchmakers Asking Him To Stop Grappling To Stay In The UFC
Rumors had already begun swirling about Mokaev’s future with the organization before the fight. The young fighter revealed that his contract was up for renewal. He shared that UFC officials wanted to see his performance first before deciding whether to extend his contract.
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The matchmakers apparently encouraged him to wrestle less, which was obviously a strange request for a grappling specialist. The undefeated fighter did try to fight standing against Manel Kape; however, this was not enough. The UFC brass decided not to renew his contract after this fight.
As for the UFC, they have lost a potential future champion. Only time will tell if this decision will come back to haunt them. But one thing’s for sure; Muhammad Mokaev’s journey is far from over. He is young and talented, and fans would love to see him fight, whether in the PFL or maybe the UFC.
