It doesn’t sound like the UFC is willing to walk back their decision to let flyweight contender Mokaev walk.
Dana White is not bring Muhammad Mokaev back into the UFC, not even for a free fight.
Mokaev made the unusual offer of fighting for free after it became clear the UFC was serious about not re-signing him after his contract ended at UFC 304. The young flyweight contender had spent the week brawling with opponent Manel Kape all over Manchester. But when it became time to actually fight in the cage, Mokaev used his wrestling to neutralize Kape for 15 uneventful minutes.
Following the event, UFC CEO Dana White said Mokaev was welcome to go sign with the PFL, as the UFC wasn’t interested in dealing with him any more. And following last night’s return of the Contender Series, White confirmed there’d be no change in those plans.
“Nobody’s gonna fight for free,” White said of Mokaev’s hail mary offer. “People can talk all the s— they want about how we pay, but nobody’s fighting free.”
“It is what it is,” he continued. “I always say this: this is an opportunity to be here and to perform in front of the entire world. And [Mokaev] is just a guy that did everything wrong and pissed these guys off.”
“I wasn’t involved in any of the stuff that happened with him, but 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 things he did and said.”
“I guess you can look back now and regret it,” White concluded. “But you did it. You did it, and you put yourself in this position.”
Mokaev leaves the UFC with a perfect 7-0 record. It’s unclear at this moment where he’ll go next, but one thing is for sure: it won’t be to the PFL.