Muhammad Mokaev’s masterplan to return to the elite of the game includes staying energetic and beating whoever is put in entrance of him.
Mokaev walked by means of Joevincent So in his first post-UFC struggle in December 2024 at BRAVE CF. He went on to knock out Bolat Zamanbekov below Karate Fight guidelines, and now returns to MMA on June 14 for a struggle with Alisher Gabdullin at 971 FC 2 in Dubai.
Mokaev nearly booked one other struggle for FCC 42 on June 7, per week earlier than the 971 conflict, however “perhaps it’s a bit too late”. Later this yr, 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 Preventing. “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 on daily basis, so that is nothing new to me.”
Mokaev nearly booked a serious match for later this yr, although. One that will have satisfied him to place all these different gives on maintain.
“In September [2025], I used to be alleged to struggle in opposition to Kyoji Horiguchi in PFL,” Mokaev mentioned. “PFL provided me this struggle, September in Dubai. After which I see the information he acquired signed again to UFC. I don’t draw back from the challenges. Kyoji Horiguchi, he and [UFC champion Alexandre] Pantoja are one of the best flyweights on the planet proper now. I’d say Manel Kape too, by the abilities. I’d choose these three guys, hardest of his challenges I might face within the MMA. So I used to be pondering, 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 fundamental occasion with Tagir Ulanbekov. Horiguchi was pulled from the June 21 card later resulting from undisclosed causes.
PFL doesn’t have a flyweight division. Based on Mokaev, nonetheless, “PFL mentioned they’re keen to the open flyweight match if I be part of them.”
“They’ve been good to me, to me to be trustworthy,” 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 spend money on you, they put the whole lot selling you and then you definitely simply [say], ‘Thanks for letting me use you. I’m going.’ They know what my objective 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 in the future simply go. I’ll go straight ahead, you already know?”
Mokaev went undefeated in each skilled and beginner MMA bouts, combining 35 matches. At 24 years of age, he shortly turned 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 large followers of his for a lot of completely different causes.”
“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, below a lot strain, a lot strain I had at my age, perhaps they might do extra errors or perhaps much less, you already know? We’re all human. I discovered from it. I don’t suppose that’s the difficulty proper now. I simply want to indicate my palms, my putting, and we’ll get again in speaking with them. On the media, perhaps they are saying it’s onerous to work with me, however I don’t know. I did seven fights, and it wasn’t onerous to work with me, however as soon as I get come near the title, I’m onerous to cope with. I don’t know the way that works. , if you happen to’re onerous to work with, you get kicked out out of your first struggle.”
For now, Mokaev targeted on including wins to his file. 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 wanting previous Gabdullin or every other opponent he faces going ahead, a tougher process 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. Folks say they’re keen to struggle me, they’re able to smash me, they don’t say no, after which they don’t do medicals on time on objective. Or in the event that they do medicals on time, they ask for like loopy amount of cash 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. Folks may suppose like I’m combating any person not my stage. After all I’m not going to combating on my stage, I beat seven guys within the UFC.”
“I feel [Gabdullin is] a superb opponent. This ought to be confidence, and never underestimating opponent. You must discover this steadiness. Even for Karate Fight, I used to be strolling out, I had precisely identical feeling what I did stroll out in UFC. I ought to be conscious these guys coming to take — mainly 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 on daily basis.
“I feel he’s well-rounded. He has slightly little bit of the whole lot. And he’s ex-Octagon champion, which in Kazakhstan is true now the largest promotion. I feel he has 15 wins and 4 losses, so he’s acquired extra wins than me in skilled profession. It means I’m not wanting 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 easy methods to shoot the double leg, however the way you’re going to really feel on the struggle night time, that’s I feel I’ve extra confidence than all these flyweights.”
Getting his first knockout in practically 5 years at Karate Fight gave Mokaev additional confidence to indicate a extra various side of his recreation in Dubai, and perhaps pace issues up on the subject of 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 am 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 threat as effectively, not identical to ready for myself. Put leisure for the individuals, too.”
