Muhammad Mokaev Details Contact with UFC Officials, Makes Case for Octagon Return

Muhammad Mokaev has revealed that he spoke with UFC matchmakers both before and after his recent fight.

Mokaev (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) said that Hunter Campbell and Mick Maynard reached out to him in the lead-up to his flyweight title victory at BRAVE CF 100 last Friday. He added that their support motivated him as he knocked out Gerard Burns to become the promotion’s first-ever 125-pound champion.

“They just congratulated me, and they wished me luck before the fight,” Mokaev told Ariel Helwani on Tuesday. “It motivated me like crazy. I was I was happy all day. I'm like, ‘well, who wished me luck? Who did that? Hunter and Mick? OK!’

“I was so motivated. I was going to (the) event, like, in the morning, (then) I have a different mood, and I'm thinking maybe that's the day to prove the world and show the world.

“Then they just congratulated me after the fight, but I'm just happy even though I just stay in touch with them. That's better than nothing.”

Mokaev parted ways with the UFC following his win over Manel Kape at UFC 304 back in 2024. Rumors of difficult behaviour behind the scenes began to emerge shortly afterwards, but the Dagestani-born flyweight insists he has matured during his time away from the organization and made his case for another run in the big leagues.

“Just give me a last chance, you know, one more chance and you won't see any mistakes in there,” Mokaev plead. “I've grown up since then, and then I’ll just fight anyone. I never said no to (any) opponents, never pulled out, never missed weight in my 39 (fights). I know it sounds mad when I count my amateur career, but some amateur fights are tougher than some professional fights I had in my life. So out of 39 fights, I never missed weight, never pulled out, and never let the organization down.”