‘The PFL is getting a great, undefeated player’

According to promotion CEO Dana White during the post-UFC 304 press conference, Muhammad Mokaev will not return to the UFC.

Mokaev is coming off a submission win over Manel Kape during the UFC 304 prelims. Despite being promoted as a potential flyweight title eliminator, the fight was a disappointment and widely panned. The fight marked the last on Mokaev’s current deal.

According to White, matchmakers are not charmed by Mokaev’s behavior and the Dagestani Englishman has caused unnoticed problems in recent months.

“I think the PFL is going to get a great, undefeated guy,” White said. “Good luck to him.”

Dana White, UFC appears to formally part ways with Muhammad Mokaev

The undefeated Mokaev, a notable flyweight prospect, was a big talking point ahead of this card. Mokaev and Kape had bad blood between them, which resulted in a number of confrontations in the week leading up to the fight.

Also notable was the number of times the match changed on the card: from the main card to the televised preliminary rounds, to the early preliminary rounds and finally the opening match of the televised preliminary rounds.

Despite the supposed bad blood, the fight turned out to be lackluster. The first round saw little action from either man. Early in the second round, Mokaev grabbed Kape’s shorts in a wrestling match and appeared to show no respect for referee Mike Beltran, prompting Beltran to loudly admonish him during the break in the action.

Mokaev eventually won the fight by unanimous decision.

Earlier this week, Mokaev admitted that this was the last fight he signed a contract for and that, following a win, he wanted a guaranteed title shot in a new deal.

Mokaev has not commented on the matter at the time of going to press, but he did tweet about it after the event.