After an underwhelming performance last weekend, British sensation Muhammad Mokaev has turned his attention to fellow contender Brandon Royval. Pre-fight, Mokaev ideally wanted an impressive finish, then to fly to Rio for a title shot at UFC 301.
Unfortunately, the performance was flat and left fans questioning if he was ready to take on a fierce champion like Alexandre Pantoja, especially in his home nation. The youngster has recognized this post-fight, admitting the performance was not his best. Mokaev did mention post-fight that he was very ill the morning of the fight which hurt his performance.
Muhammad Mokaev to Headline UFC Manchester?
As UK fight fans we have been blessed with great events over the years up and down the country. However, since the pandemic, all UK UFC events have been at the O2 Arena in London. The rallying shouts for an event outside of the capital are rumored to have been answered with UFC Manchester targeted for July. It’s rumored to be a fight night and not a PPV, which seems odd considering the UK has two current champions and plenty of top contenders. Regardless, this fight would serve as a crucial fight for the flyweight division and excite many English fans.
Muhammad Mokaev has called for the fight against Royval to be five rounds. This would be his first fight scheduled for five rounds and would prepare him for a title shot at the end of the year if victorious. If it’s indeed a fight night in Manchester, this could be the main event as a number-one contender bout. Alternatively, we have seen the UFC make five-round co-main events in recent times so a Yair Rodriguez vs. Arnold Allen co-main could work brilliantly.
What would you think of UFC Manchester headlined by Muhammad Mokaev? Would you want to see him fight Brandon Royval or someone else? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured Image Credit to Embed from Getty Images
