Muhammad Mokaev has detailed his reasoning behind agreeing to fight unranked opponents on his chase to become the youngest champion in UFC history.
Mokaev has been storming his way through opposition since his UFC debut last year, going 3-0. Overall holds an undefeated record of 9-0.
The youngster’s last two outings haven’t been as dominant as his debut in London. However, that’s normal when facing better opponents when progressing through the rankings.
Many have criticized Mokaev for “taking a step back” at UFC 286 in London. It was announced that he would meet Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Jafel Filho. Filho defeated Roybert Echeverria last September, which earned him a crack on the biggest stage.
When asked why he’s competing against a debutant on Twitter, Mokaev responded:
Muhammad Mokaev Responds to Criticism
“But if you read my recent post it says that I tried to get top 15 opponent. Do you want me to sit and wait till September?”
The Brit is undefeated when fighting in London and will likely be a huge favourite on the betting line. Despite his best efforts to bag fights with ranked opponents, according to Mokaev, they keep getting turned down.
On a positive note, the activity will see Mokaev burn through his first UFC contract extremely quickly, resulting in a significant bump in pay for his next contract.
What do you make of Muhammad Mokaev and his next opponent for UFC 286? Do you anticipate him having the skillset to cause an upset?
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
