Muhammad Mokaev continues to dominate outside the UFC.
On Saturday, the Dagestani-born English flyweight knocked out Jorge Calvo within a minute at WOW 31 in Madrid Spain. It was Mokaev’s second straight finish and fourth straight win since being released from the UFC in 2024 and solidified his case as the best flyweight outside the promotion.
Dan White has insisted that Mokaev will never return, but not all guarantees and promises last forever. Is this one of those times?
To understand Mokaev’s plight, it helps to understand the inciting incident that got him banished.
During UFC 304, Mokaev fought at home against Manel Kape. Both fighters engaged in multiple altercations, including a sucker punch. Clearly, Dana White thought that those incidents were not worth keeping Mokaev around, but that was not the only reason.
The fight proved to be lackluster, as Mokaev seemed content with “hugging” Kape, which bored and angered White. Duting the press conference, White told the media:
“He’s not under contract anymore. I think the PFL is going to get a great undefeated guy.”
Since then, however, Mokaev has done only one thing: win. He has four straight victories, to be exact. The last two in particular have been devastating knockouts, and while it might not change White’s mind, stranger things have happened.
Should Mokaev somehow make it back to the UFC, he will enter a flyweight division ruled by someone from the same millennium as him.
Joshua Van is just entering the sixth month of his reign, but he has already shown how skilled he is. In his first title defense, he outwitted Tatsuro Taira en route to a fifth-round finish. Van’s next fight is expected to be against Alexandre Pantoja, but after that, who knows?
If the Mokaev that returns to the octagon is the one that was seen on Saturday, expect fireworks. Plus, there is ready-made tension, as he once said of Van:
“Easy fight, easy money. I believe this is right now the perfect fight for me, and I can beat him 10 out of 10 times.”
That is billboard material that Van will look to disprove. Easy money, indeed.
Have a reaction? Join the Stadium Rant iPhone App open sports community and tell us.
The debate of Mokaev’s return does not say that the UFC flyweight division lacks contenders.
The aforemetioned Pantoja is looking to prove that his loss was a fluke. Kape is rematching Kyoji Horiguchi later this month, and it could very well produce the next challenger. Lone’er Kavanagh draws Brandon Royval next month, and a win could put him in prime position for a shot as well.
Nevertheless, adding more depth will not hurt, even if it involves a pariah, Mokaev, who is very brash about his abilities…
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
