Muhammad Mokaev dominates Malcolm Gordon at UFC 280 over three rounds before securing a devastating armbar late in the fight.
After a striking start that sees both men exchange. It takes just 30 seconds for Mokaev to get the fight to the floor. A couple of guillotine attempts are defended by Gordon, and Muhammad controls from the guard. Malcolm stays calm and prevents Muhammad Mokaev from causing any real damage. However, it’s the Brit who clearly wins the round.
Starting the second Mokaev starts by showing off with some fancy kicks that don’t land. Gordon tries to capitalise on a loss of balance but gets taken down. Muhammad is in complete control and lands small short strikes to score and assert his dominance.
Gordon makes small adjustments to return to his feet but they are all followed by the threat of a submission. Malcolm manages to reverse the position but soon finds himself in a triangle attempt. With 20 seconds remaining he begins to open up and manages to get the neck, but the round ends.
The third round starts with an immediate takedown for Mokaev after a rush from Gordon. Back to square one the Canadian now needs to pull himself out of the grasp of Mokaev. He does this and scores a huge suplex securing the back and fighting for a choke.
Muhammad Mokaev defends well and fights around and gets to his back. Fighting back to his feet he once again fights for a takedown getting it moments after. With Malcolm trying to get back to a position, Mokaev locks in an armbar and gets the tap late.
What’s Next?
Now 9-0 as a professional and 3-0 in the UFC. Mokaev’s star continues to shine. A dominant display but not a flawless one, the Brit still has much to learn going forward. At only 22 he has plenty of time to do so.
Moving forward he now sees himself on the cusp of a top-15 fight. With a dream of becoming the youngest champion ever, he’ll want to get back to action quickly.
Who should be next for Muhammad Mokaev?
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
