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Ex-UFC Star Begs for Second Chance, Offers to Fight Without Pay

He was on the cusp of a UFC title shot when the promotion didn't extend his contract.

Mathew Riddle

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

It came as a shock to everyone when Muhammad Mokaev was abruptly cut from the UFC roster following UFC 304. Despite his 7-0 record in the promotion, the UFC brass showed no interest in re-signing him, leading to his swift removal from the flyweight rankings.

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Neither Mokaev, Dana White, nor a UFC representative has provided a clear reason for his departure from the promotion. Fans speculate it might be due to his fighting style or his behavior during fight week, which involved sucker punching his opponent at the fighter hotel.

Now, with PFL President Ray Sefo also rejecting him, the Russian-English fighter is now practically begging to return to the UFC.

"I said to Hunter Campbell, whatever I've done at the hotel I'm ready to pay for that," Mokaev said in an interview with MMA Junkie. "And [I'll] fight next fight in the UFC for free, whatever trouble I'm in. ... I think I took a big lesson, I want to come back to UFC and hopefully I will be back."

Interim Heavyweight Champ Tom Aspinall Weighs in on Mokaev's Situation

Tom Aspinall, who shared the UFC 304 card with Mokaev in Manchester, believes the UFC's treatment of Mokaev is "unfair."

"I think it's unfair to be honest with you," Aspinall told Carl Froch on August 4. "... This has happened before all this beef in the hotel and and at the weigh-ins and all the rest of it. It's not the first time so I think it's a bit unfair on him to just kick him out indefinitely."

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Whether Mokaev gets a second chance remains yet to be seen. Before being dropped from the roster, he was on track to become one of the youngest UFC champions of all time, at 24 years.

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with over five years of experience in digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMAKO in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on The Fight Fanatic, Heavy on UFC, Fansided, and Sportskeeda. Reach him at mr@thefightfanatic.com.

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