Muhammad Mokaev // Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
One of the biggest MMA stories of the summer saw the UFC part ways with one of the most talented flyweight fighters in the world as they opted not to offer a new contract to undefeated English contender Muhammad Mokaev.
Dagestan-born Mokaev had just defeated Manel Kape at UFC 304 in Manchester, but by that point, it appeared there had been a schism between fighter and promotion. With Mokaev's win over Kape being the last fight of his UFC contract, UFC CEO Dana White subsequently revealed that the promotion would not be re-signing him.
With Mokaev's UFC departure making him an MMA free agent, the big question was over where "The Punisher" would land next. The Professional Fighters League (PFL) currently doesn't have an active flyweight division, while other options may have offered Mokaev the chance to compete on the European or Asian scenes.
But the most likely option was always a return to BRAVE Combat Federation. Mokaev turned professional with the Bahrain-based promotion in 2020 and won five fights under the BRAVE CF banner before signing for the UFC in 2022.
Now, with his career standing at 12-0 (1 no contest) as a pro, following a glittering 23-0 amateur career that saw him win two IMMAF World Championships, Mokaev is heading "home" to BRAVE.
One man who knows Mokaev well is BRAVE CF play-by-play commentator Phll Campbell, who chatted exclusively to RG.org to give his thoughts on "The Punisher's" return to the promotion.
"Mo coming back into BRAVE is absolutely huge, and it has the ability to change the complexion of not only the flyweight division, but also the bantamweight division," he explained.
"There are rumblings that [former bantamweight champion] Jose "Shorty" Torres is returning to the flyweight division. We also have guys like Velimurad Alkhazov and Flavio de Queiroz. I think the flyweight and bantamweight divisions are going to be very healthy.
"Not only that, but we have Gerard Burns floating about. He is, for my money, the dark horse of the division, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what's coming up."
Mokaev's departure from the UFC was in part due to issues behind the scenes, with UFC boss White suggesting that Mokaev's exit from the promotion was self-inflicted.
“I wasn’t involved in any of the stuff that happened with him,” the UFC boss said during a post-fight press conference after Dana White's Contender Series earlier this month.
"The matchmakers and Hunter (Campbell) were, and they weren’t happy with him. They weren’t happy with the way he acted. They weren’t happy with a lot of the things he did and said.
"I guess you can look back now and regret it, but you did it. You did it, and you put yourself in this position.”
While the UFC and Mokaev appear to have clashed, there has never been an issue between the fighter and BRAVE, who have welcomed him back into the fold with open arms.
"I know that many question marks have been raised about his attitude and his conduct," said BRAVE’s Campbell.
"I think that's a little bit hypocritical of the UFC, given the conduct that some of its fighters have engaged in. Even my countryman, Conor McGregor, being one of them, with the likes of the dolly incident and the antics at press conferences.
"So, I think to say Mo is difficult is a bit of a misnomer. I have never experienced that in my time working with him, and have found him to be nothing but polite and humble.
While BRAVE CF are sure they’re getting a good human being, they also know that by re-signing Mokaev they’re adding one of the world’s elite flyweights to their roster.
"We're talking about a four-time IMMAF gold medalist, a guy who essentially completed amateur MMA before signing with BRAVE, where he had an incredible run," said Campbell.
"I believe he is the most decorated amateur in the history of mixed martial arts, and I firmly believe that he can be one of the most decorated professionals in MMA, so the sky really is the limit."
Mokaev’s return to BRAVE was also hailed by one of the promotion’s top stars. Super welterweight contender Alex Lohore is well on his way to challenging for championship gold in the promotion, and said the signing showed the heart of the organization.
“That is great. That is lovely news,” he told RG.org.
“First of all, they're just helping a guy out that has just lost his job for no particular reason –just a bit of ego stuff. So, just for that, for the human side of things, it’s great.
"It's great to be working with an organization who's actually caring about people. Most of these organizations don't care about anyone. They just want to make money.
"I don't feel like BRAVE needed to sign him. But, because of what he's done and what he's established and how he is as a fighter, they just felt like it was needed for him, for them to help him. And that's what they did.
“They've helped him. They’ve given him a platform and they’ve given him a job so he can now do what he loves to do, and it's great. That's why there's nothing bad I can say about this organization.
BRAVE’s decision to sign Mokaev wasn’t just an altruistic one, however. Campbell also hinted that Mokaev’s return to BRAVE could open the possibility of the promotion returning to the UK. With Mokaev on the roster, they now have a man around whom they can potentially build a UK-based event.
"There's only ever been one show in the UK, BRAVE CF 24, in London," Campbell pointed out.
"I believe that with the re-signing of Mo, that opens up an entirely different avenue to us in the north of England, with his connections to Manchester, his connections to Liverpool, with [coach and teammate] Dean Garnett.
"Not only will it help Mo, but it will also help BRAVE CF's continued expansion into the European, and indeed the UK and Irish market. I'm very excited to see what happens moving forward.
"I can't wait to be on the call for his re-debut with BRAVE CF which, personally, I hope happens before the end of the year. I haven't heard any rumblings at this stage, but the fan in me would love to see that before the end of the year.”
Simon is a sports journalist and MMA reporter with 25+ years' experience covering sports and 15+ years covering mixed martial arts as one of the UK's longest-tenured MMA journalists. He also has more than a decade of experience working in the betting and gaming industry.
He has provided coverage for a plethora of major sports outlets, including BBC Sport, USA Today, Daily Mirror and BT Sport, and has covered Olympic Games, World Cups, FA Cup Finals and UFC title fights during his career.
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