It looks like Muhammad Mokaev will not be resigning with the UFC, even after his unanimous decision win at UFC 304.
After a unanimous decision win in his bad blood bout against Manel Kape, Mokaev spoke to the media and revealed he was now out of contract with the UFC but was hopeful that the promotion would look to re-sign the unbeaten prospect. When asked if he had a message for Dana White, he said:
“Dana, please give me a new contract. I am young, I am 23-years-old, 7-0 in the UFC. I don’t know who (has previously) done this apart from Jon Jones. I believe I was ready to fight for the Flyweight belt against Pantoja. I messaged the UFC matchmaker and said I am ready to step in, to fight but they said ‘We have got another guy, Steve Erceg.’ I said ‘Okay.’ I fought Manel Kape. He was ranked below me but I think he was more dangerous than Pantoja.”
Things then took a turn when UFC CEO Dana White took to the press conference stage after the fight night and was asked if the promotion will be resigning Mokaev. The answer was short but extremely clear as to what the UFC’s intentions are in regards to offering him a new contract. White said:
“I think the PFL is going to get a great undefeated guy, good luck to him.”
White was then asked the reason for the UFC not wanting to resign Mokaev and was asked whether the Flyweight had looked for too much money or the promotion did not find his fighting style appealing. The UFC CEO then outlined the reasons behind the decision.
“None of them, none of the above. Look, the stuff that played out here, over the last several months, started at the PI and other stories of this breaking out, plus many other things. These guys (the matchmakers) don’t want to resign him.”
After going 23-0 as an amateur, ‘The Punisher’ was largely considered to be one of the most well-known amateurs in the world. This was largely down to his several IMMAF World championship victories and his dominance in tournament after tournament.
When it was announced he would be joining the professional ranks in 2020, speculation immediately started as to if the UFC or another major promotion would take the chance on Mokaev prior to him even making the walk to the cage was a professional. It was Brave CF who ultimately took the leap and Mokaev continued his perfect form, going 4-0-0-1 under the BRAVE banner before the UFC then came calling.
The Manchester based man has been flying whilst competing with the UFC, with the Kape victory being his seventh under the promotion. At the time of writing, it is unclear to exactly what the future holds for the young unbeaten prospect.
