Muhammad Mokaev’s masterplan to return to the elite of the game entails staying energetic and beating whoever is put in entrance of him.
Mokaev walked by means of Joevincent So in his first post-UFC combat in December 2024 at BRAVE CF. He went on to knock out Bolat Zamanbekov beneath Karate Fight guidelines, and now returns to MMA on June 14 for a combat with Alisher Gabdullin at 971 FC 2 in Dubai.
Mokaev nearly booked one other combat for FCC 42 on June 7, every week earlier than the 971 conflict, however “possibly it’s a bit too late”. Later this 12 months, Mokaev mentioned he needs to return to BRAVE CF anytime between June and September to face the winner of Could 30’s Jose Torres vs. Dias Yerengaipov for the corporate’s flyweight championship.
“I simply need to keep busy as a result of I prepare all my life, I don’t have like a coaching camp and all these items,” Mokaev informed MMA Combating. “For me, it’s make weight and that’s it, I’m able to go in opposition to anybody on the planet. I competed in IMMAF, beginner world championships, and I fought day-after-day, so that is nothing new to me.”
Mokaev nearly booked a significant match for later this 12 months, although. One that might have satisfied him to place all these different presents on maintain.
“In September [2025], I used to be imagined to combat in opposition to Kyoji Horiguchi in PFL,” Mokaev mentioned. “PFL provided me this combat, September in Dubai. After which I see the information he obtained signed again to UFC. I don’t draw back from the challenges. Kyoji Horiguchi, he and [UFC champion Alexandre] Pantoja are the most effective flyweights on the planet proper now. I might say Manel Kape too, by the abilities. I might choose these three guys, hardest of his challenges I might face within the MMA. So I used to be considering, if I beat Kyoji, I’m again within the rankings once more. And he goes signal to the UFC.”
Horiguchi vacated the RIZIN title and parted methods with the Japanese promotion to return to the UFC, being booked for a UFC Baku primary occasion with Tagir Ulanbekov. Horiguchi was pulled from the June 21 card later attributable to undisclosed causes.
PFL doesn’t have a flyweight division. In response to Mokaev, nevertheless, “PFL mentioned they’re keen to the open flyweight match if I be a part of them.”
“They’ve been good to me, to me to be sincere,” Mokaev mentioned. “They mentioned, no matter you need, you’re welcome. However I simply don’t need to caught within the contract, that’s the issue. I respect all organizations, however I simply don’t need to get caught in any contract. I perceive from the corporate’s aspect too, they put money into you, they put every thing selling you and then you definitely simply [say], ‘Thanks for letting me use you. I’m going.’ They know what my aim precisely and I’m not mendacity to anybody. I’m saying, hear, I’m right here to place my efficiency and get again on the planet rankings. I don’t need to lie and [say] I by no means need to go to UFC. You promote me, I’m going to make use of your cash after which sooner or later simply go. I’ll go straight ahead, you realize?”
Mokaev went undefeated in each skilled and beginner MMA bouts, combining 35 matches. At 24 years of age, he rapidly grew to become a high contender within the UFC, however was let go by the promotion after UFC CEO Dana White talked about that UFC “matchmakers aren’t big fans of his for many different reasons.”
“I did some errors, no matter occurred,” Mokaev mentioned. “We’re people. I imagine the matchmakers and everyone of their life on the age of twenty-two, 23, beneath a lot strain, a lot strain I had at my age, possibly they’d do extra errors or possibly much less, you realize? We’re all human. I discovered from it. I don’t assume that’s the problem proper now. I simply want to indicate my palms, my putting, and we’ll get again in speaking with them. On the media, possibly they are saying it’s exhausting to work with me, however I don’t know. I did seven fights, and it wasn’t exhausting to work with me, however as soon as I get come near the title, I’m exhausting to cope with. I don’t know the way that works. You recognize, in case you’re exhausting to work with, you get kicked out out of your first combat.”
For now, Mokaev targeted on including wins to his document. He signed a one-bout cope with Mounir Lazzez’s promotion 971 FC, and can proceed inking one-fight offers till he will get the place he needs. That doesn’t imply he’s trying previous Gabdullin or every other opponent he faces going ahead, a tougher activity after every victory.
“I don’t underestimate individuals,” Mokaev mentioned, “However we had 14-0 opponent for this occasion coming and Mounir, the matchmaker, messaged me saying he’s out. He didn’t do his medical on time. Individuals say they’re keen to combat me, they’re able to smash me, they don’t say no, after which they don’t do medicals on time on function. Or in the event that they do medicals on time, they ask for like loopy sum of money that group received’t pay them, so group like say, ‘No, we’ll get one other man.’ That’s my downside proper now in my profession. Individuals may assume like I’m preventing any person not my degree. After all I’m not going to preventing on my degree, I beat seven guys within the UFC.”
“I feel [Gabdullin is] a superb opponent. This must be confidence, and never underestimating opponent. It’s a must to discover this stability. Even for Karate Fight, I used to be strolling out, I had precisely identical feeling what I did stroll out in UFC. I must be conscious these guys coming to take — principally in the event that they beat me, that’s it. They don’t have to do 20 fights anymore, they only beat me. That’s why I ought to keep targeted. That’s why I’m coaching day-after-day.
“I feel he’s well-rounded. He has slightly little bit of every thing. And he’s ex-Octagon champion, which in Kazakhstan is true now the most important promotion. I feel he has 15 wins and 4 losses, so he’s obtained extra wins than me in skilled profession. It means I’m not trying down on any person. In my head, all fighters are the identical. Alisher can throw precisely the identical 1-2 as me, and he is aware of how you can shoot the double leg, however the way you’re going to really feel on the combat night time, that’s I feel I’ve extra confidence than all these flyweights.”
Getting his first knockout in almost 5 years at Karate Fight gave Mokaev additional confidence to indicate a extra numerous facet of his sport in Dubai, and possibly pace issues up with regards to returning to the UFC.
“Now I’m extra excited to place my putting efficiency there,” Mokaev mentioned of his Karate Fight end. “It gave me like believing in my putting talents extra. I don’t have to go shoot for takedown. Like, I’m going out, strike. If one thing doesn’t go into my plan in putting, I all the time gonna have plan B with my eyes closed. However now I have to exit and put some danger as nicely, not similar to ready for myself. Put leisure for the individuals, too.”
