Muhammad Mokaev has firmly denied allegations that his departure from the UFC was due to discussions with the PFL. The British fighter criticized the journalist who reported this, calling them an “idiot.” Mokaev confirmed that he was indeed released by the UFC but hopes to be re-signed by Dana White.
At just 24 years old, Muhammad Mokaev, known as ‘The Punisher,’ has built an impressive career in the UFC. With a perfect record of 13-0-0 and 1 No Contest, he’s been on a seven-fight winning streak. Before turning pro, he earned multiple gold medals in the IMMAF.
Despite his success, Mokaev’s wrestling-focused style has not always been popular with all fans. After his UFC 304 victory, Mokaev was surprisingly cut from the roster. Dana White, the UFC President, mentioned that the PFL would benefit from having such an unbeaten fighter, but also described Mokaev as somewhat unexciting and not a perfect fit for the flyweight division.
Muhammad Mokaev Slams MMA Journalists as ‘Idiots’ Over PFL Negotiation Claims
Recently, MMA journalist Ben Davis reported that Mokaev’s release might have been related to his team negotiating with the PFL while he was still under UFC contract. In response, Mokaev took to social media to set the record straight.
“My dream is to become UFC Champion,” Mokaev stated on X. “I turn down other opportunities because the UFC gave me a platform to build my name and support my family! By the way, PFL doesn’t even have a flyweight division. All these journalists spreading these false stories are idiots! I hope Dana re-signs me because becoming a champion is my dream!”
Additionally, Damon Martin from MMA Fighting reported that Mokaev’s manager, Tim Simpson, refuted the rumour. Simpson described the claim about PFL negotiations being the cause of Mokaev’s UFC exit as “completely false. No truth to that whatsoever.”
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
