Muhammad Mokaev`s strategic approach to reclaiming a spot among the sport`s elite involves consistently competing and defeating every opponent placed before him.
Following his UFC departure, Mokaev secured a win over Joevincent So at BRAVE CF in December 2024. He then achieved a knockout victory against Bolat Zamanbekov under Karate Combat rules. His return to mixed martial arts is scheduled for June 14, where he will face Alisher Gabdullin at 971 FC 2 in Dubai.
Mokaev nearly added another fight to his schedule for FCC 42 on June 7, just a week before the Dubai event, but felt it was “a bit too late.” Looking ahead, he expressed interest in competing under the BRAVE CF banner again between June and September to challenge the winner of the flyweight championship bout between Jose Torres and Dias Yerengaipov.
Mokaev stressed his motivation for staying busy:
“I just want to stay busy because I train all my life, I don’t have like a training camp and all this stuff. For me, it’s make weight and that’s it, I’m ready to go against anyone in the world. I competed in IMMAF, amateur world championships, and I fought every day, so this is nothing new to me.”
A potentially major fight almost materialized for Mokaev later this year, one significant enough to potentially put his other fight plans on hold.
He revealed details of the potential matchup:
“In September [2025], I was supposed to fight against Kyoji Horiguchi in PFL,” Mokaev said. “PFL offered me this fight, September in Dubai. And then I see the news he got signed back to UFC. I don’t shy away from the challenges. Kyoji Horiguchi, he and [UFC champion Alexandre] Pantoja are the best flyweights in the world right now. I would say Manel Kape too, by the skills. I would pick these three guys, toughest of his challenges I could face in the MMA. So I was thinking, if I beat Kyoji, I’m back in the rankings again. And he goes sign to the UFC.”
Horiguchi subsequently vacated his RIZIN title and left the Japanese promotion to sign with the UFC. He was initially scheduled to main event UFC Baku against Tagir Ulanbekov on June 21 but was later withdrawn for undisclosed reasons.
The PFL does not currently feature a flyweight division. However, according to Mokaev:
“PFL said they’re willing to the open flyweight tournament if I join them.”
Despite PFL`s welcoming approach, Mokaev expressed hesitation regarding long-term contractual commitments:
“They’ve been good to me, to me to be honest,” Mokaev said. “They said, whatever you want, you’re welcome. But I just don’t want to stuck in the contract, that’s the problem. I respect all organizations, but I just don’t want to get stuck in any contract. I understand from the company’s side too, they invest in you, they put everything promoting you and then you just [say], ‘Thank you for letting me use you. I’m going.’ They know what my goal exactly and I’m not lying to anyone. I’m saying, listen, I’m here to put my performance and get back in the world rankings. I don’t want to lie and [say] I never want to go to UFC. You promote me, I’m going to use your money and then one day just go. I’ll go straight forward, you know?”
Mokaev holds an impressive combined undefeated record across 35 amateur and professional MMA bouts. At just 24 years old, he quickly climbed the ranks in the UFC but was released after UFC CEO Dana White indicated that “matchmakers aren’t big fans of his for many different reasons.”
Reflecting on his UFC departure, Mokaev stated:
“I did some mistakes, whatever happened. We are humans. I believe the matchmakers and everybody in their life at the age of 22, 23, under so much pressure, so much pressure I had at my age, maybe they would do more mistakes or maybe less, you know? We are all human. I learned from it. I don’t think that’s the issue right now. I just need to show my hands, my striking, and we’ll get back in talking with them. On the media, maybe they say it’s hard to work with me, but I don’t know. I did seven fights, and it wasn’t hard to work with me, but once I get come close to the title, I’m hard to deal with. I don’t know how that works. You know, if you’re hard to work with, you get kicked out from your first fight.”
For the time being, Mokaev is focused on accumulating more wins. His current strategy involves signing one-bout agreements, such as the deal with Mounir Lazzez’s 971 FC, continuing this approach until he reaches his desired destination. He insists he isn`t underestimating any opponent, recognizing the increasing challenge with each victory.
He addressed perceptions about his current opponent level:
“I don’t underestimate people. But we had 14-0 opponent for this event coming and Mounir, the matchmaker, messaged me saying he’s out. He didn’t do his medical on time. People say they’re willing to fight me, they’re ready to smash me, they don’t say no, and then they don’t do medicals on time on purpose. Or if they do medicals on time, they ask for like crazy amount of money that organization won’t pay them, so organization like say, ‘No, we’ll get another guy.’ That’s my problem right now in my career. People might think like I’m fighting somebody not my level. Of course I’m not going to fighting on my level, I beat seven guys in the UFC.”
Regarding his upcoming opponent, Gabdullin:
“I think [Gabdullin is] a good opponent. This should be confidence, and not underestimating opponent. You have to find this balance. Even for Karate Combat, I was walking out, I had exactly same feeling what I did walk out in UFC. I should be aware these guys coming to take — basically if they beat me, that’s it. They don’t need to do 20 fights anymore, they just beat me. That’s why I should stay focused. That’s why I’m training every day.”
He elaborated on Gabdullin`s profile:
“I think he’s well-rounded. He has a little bit of everything. And he’s ex-Octagon champion, which in Kazakhstan is right now the biggest promotion. I think he has 15 wins and four losses, so he’s got more wins than me in professional career. It means I’m not looking down on somebody. In my head, all fighters are the same. Alisher can throw exactly the same 1-2 as me, and he knows how to shoot the double leg, but how you’re going to feel on the fight night, that’s I think I have more confidence than all these flyweights.”
His recent knockout victory in Karate Combat, his first in nearly five years, has significantly boosted Mokaev`s confidence in his striking abilities, which he hopes will allow him to display a more diverse skillset in Dubai and potentially expedite his path back to the UFC.
On the impact of the Karate Combat finish:
“Now I’m more excited to put my striking performance there. It gave me like believing in my striking abilities more. I don’t need to go shoot for takedown. Like, I go out, strike. If something doesn’t go into my plan in striking, I always gonna have plan B with my eyes closed. But now I need to go out and put some risk as well, not just like waiting for myself. Put entertainment for the people, too.”
