Muhammad Mokaev Finds a Way to Get Back to Work
Muhammad Mokaev won’t want to spend much time thinking about how 2024 has gone for him. Mokaev lost his job in July when the UFC cut him loose following a lackluster performance against Manel Kape. Things got worse the following month.
When Mokaev returned home to Dagestan to visit family, he totaled his Mercedes. Although Mokaev suffered no significant injuries from the accident, he took some time off training following the crash. MMAfighting latest news shows Mokaev is now back to training, but he will have to do a lot in order to restore his reputation on the world stage.
UFC CEO Dana White, as he is known to do, buried Mokaev on his way out the door. When the PFL also passed on him, Mokaev had to return to the Brave Combat Federation, based out of Dubai. Mokaev would like to find his way to get back to the top run of the sport.
But he has to prove that he can be mature. Mokaev has said he would be willing to fight for free in order to get back to the UFC, but it may take more than that.
Mokaev Proved He Belonged in the UFC
When Mokaev was released from the UFC, it was a surprise. A significant factor, even more so than his perceived boring fighting style, was how he behaved outside the octagon. Both the PFL and UFC had higher-ups in their organizations who criticized the way he behaved.
Before UFC 304, there were a lot of weird things that went on preceding his fight with Kape. During the buildup for their flyweight fight, both men participated in a relentless amount of trash talk. The incident that stood out the most among the MMA breaking news that week was a sucker punch.
Mokaev asked Kape to take a picture with him. When Kape leaned in, Mokaev punched him in the face. During the leadup to fight week, both men had to be pulled apart several times. Security was needed to keep the pair apart before the fight started.
When the bell rang to start the fight, Mokaev and Kape fought passively. While Mokaev raised his hand, no one was happy with his performance.
Mokaev Situation is a Rare One
Mokaev, 24, doesn’t fit the profile of a fighter who would so easily give up on his aspirations. Many MMA news sites show that Mokaev wasn’t well-liked among his peers. Former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg, who got an opportunity to fight for the belt at Mokaev’s expense, said that Mokaev’s issues were self-created.
When Mokaev, who is 13-0, debuted in the UFC, he looked to have good potential. During his first fight in the UFC in March 2022, Mokaev submitted Cody Durden in 58 seconds. He would later submit Jafel Filho and Tim Elliott during his run in the promotion.
The problem Mokaev ran into was that he didn’t finish fights consistently. Even before the Kape fight, Mokaev had a few fights that didn’t enthrall the fanbase. Mokaev’s style, combined with his poor behavior, made him more trouble than he was worth in the UFC’s eyes.
Renaissance for Champion Grapplers
Mokaev’s style wasn’t going to deny him a shot at the title if he kept winning. Merab Dvalishvili and Valentina Shevchenko proved at UFC 306 that grapplers will have an opportunity to be successful in the promotion. Shevchenko isn’t a grappler by nature, but she was more advanced than Alexa Grasso and smothered her to win the women’s flyweight title.
Dvalishvili is a wrestling machine who isn’t really a threat to knock out or submit his opponent. Dvalishvili is a cardio machine who outlasts all of his opponents. While Dvalishvili had to win 10 straight fights before fighting for the belt, he did earn an opportunity.
Mokaev wanted to be the youngest UFC champion in history. That likely won’t be possible. But Mokaev could fight his way back into the title picture. Wrestling is always one of the strongest bases to have for mixed martial arts. Don’t expect Mokaev to give away his advantage anytime soon.
Is Mokaev Boring?
That really depends on how you like your fights. I respect Mokaev’s ability to wrestle with his opposition. But the only thing about Mokaev is that he is a fighter who prefers to battle for the better position on the ground instead of locking up a submission.
For people who enjoy technical grappling, Mokaev is a fun watch. He is like a lot of the strong grapplers who have come out of Dagestan, including Khabib Nurmagomedov. While Mokaev has an opportunity to develop better striking and fine tune some of his other skills, his base will always be in wrestling.
Mokaev isn’t the best choice to watch if you want to see a fight that is going to be wrapped up early. But he is an excellent watch for people who want to learn technical wrestling and how to control an opponent on the ground.
Can Brave Give Him a Route Back?
Sometimes it’s nice to go back home. While Mokaev didn’t necessarily want to head back to his old promotion, all of the signs show that the Brave Combat Federation was a place where he could find success. Mokaev hasn’t been active that long professionally.
Mokaev took his first professional fight in August 2020. While he never grabbed a belt in Brave or Celtric Gladiator, he was able to gain valuable professional experience. Mokaev had a lengthy amateur career.
He fought 20 times as an amateur, which is a lot for mixed martial arts. Mokaev once had ambitions of glory early in his career. He has run into some serious adversity. If Mokaev wants to capitalize on any of his talent, he will need to reward himself after a rough 2024 and focus on self-improvement for next year.
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By Dean McHugh.
