“You put yourself in this position,” Dana White remarked following the conclusion of DWCS Season 8, highlighting the tension surrounding Muhammad Mokaev and his departure from the UFC. It seems that White holds some reservations about Mokaev, who has since moved on to compete in Brave CF. However, the incident between the flyweight star and the UFC has not been forgotten by the organization.

‘The Punisher’ signed with the UFC in 2022 as a 5-0 professional but garnered a lot of attention as a highly decorated amateur with a 23-0 record. He defeated Cody Durden, Charles Johnson, Malcolm Gordon, Jafel Filho, Tim Elliott, and Alex Perez before his UFC 304 win over Manel Kape.

In the past White has spoken a number of times about the matter. Now at the UFC 308 post-fight press conference the UFC president once again clarified the situation, suggesting that there may be room for reconciliation. This raises the question: could Mokaev potentially make a return to the UFC in the future? As fans await further developments, the landscape remains uncertain, but the door could be ajar for a comeback.

Dana White clarified that there is no beef with Muhammad Mokaev

It is a well-known conception that the top brass in the UFC is always in search of ‘highlight reel’ performers who can put up exciting and enticing shows for the audience. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case with the aforementioned Mohammad Mokaev as although, his wrestling and ground-heavy game was a display of technical expertise but remote to anything the company qualifies as marketable. However, Dana White seemed pretty chill with the entire situation and offered his views on the matter.

During the post-fight press conference at UFC 308, White talked about Mokaev’s release. He said, “So, first of all, he was not released he just was not re-signed. His contract expired and there were a lot of issues with him behind the scenes. And not some behind-the-scenes. The matchmakers were done with him, they were tired of him they did not want to deal with him anymore so they didn’t re-sign him.”

White further added, “I have no problem with him and I have never had a beef with him and I don’t deal with him daily.” So, all in all, the 55-year-old is not stopping the prospect from coming back to UFC. In fact, Mokaev himself has denied any bad blood between him and Dana White.

“I always said I never had any problems with @danawhite. He always been cool with me and even when I nearly broke my knee he told me at the backstage “dont worry kid if you need best surgeon we will take care of it” and it meant a lot to me!” Mokaev posted on X on Sunday. The entire saga started back in July at the aftermath of the UFC 304.

An already undefeated Mokaev improved his UFC record to 7-0 (13-0 MMA)  with a unanimous decision win over Kape. This further pushed him to the cusp of the flyweight title fight. Instead, to everyone’s surprise, the UFC decided not to re-sign the Dagestani fighter. But wasn’t it just imminent?

The lead-up to the fight between Kape and Manel was a heated one and had a lot to do with the UFC’s decision. The fighters engaged in altercations at the UFC Performance Institute, the fight week host hotel, the ceremonial weigh-ins stage, and even just before the introductions in the cage. Notably, the fight also saw a demotion.

Mokaev vs. Kape was set to take place on UFC 304’s PPV main card; but, the 125-pound clash was turned into the ‘Prelims’ undercard fight at the last minute. “I think they don’t like my style. But, that’s why I have something I have to prove this fight. I need to show everything. Sometimes, I try to play safe, but it looks boring to the casual [fan]. I’m undefeated and I’ve won by unanimous decision against all the prime guys in the UFC, They have to understand this” Mokaev had told MMA on SiriusXM back then. However, according to White & Co., it is more than that.

“There was so much bad (expletive) that happened behind the scenes with that thing. He’s not under contract anymore,” White said. “I think the PFL is going to get a great undefeated guy,” White had put bluntly in the UFC 304 post-fight press conference.

“The stuff that played out here of the past several months that started at the (Performance Institute) and other stories of this breaking out, plus many other things. These guys (UFC matchmakers) don’t want to re-sign him,” he had further added, indicating that it wasn’t Mokaev’s performance or fighting style that tipped the scales, but a string of outside-the-cage issues that caused the matchmakers to become averse to another contract offer. White had once again spoke of it in the aftermath of DWCS 67.

“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, but you did it,” White had said in August. As Mokaev had put it, he sensed it was coming.

The UFC usually changes the contract not on the last fight, but mostly when two fights are left. But that did not happen with Mokaev. “But I was on my last fight, and I asked for a new contract, I couldn’t get it, and I felt something was going on,” Mokaev had said. he believed that the UFC probably wanted to see a more mature of him and he thought he was ready with that.

“I spoke to Hunter (Campbell) straight after what happened in Manchester. He said, ‘We will see you back in the UFC,’ but maybe they want to see me mature more outside the octagon, but whatever happened, I’m ready to come back now. I’m fighting in BRAVE, so whenever they call me, I’m ready. I want to become UFC champion, and I knew I could because I was very, very close to it,” Mokaev said. But there is an important point to consider here.

According to the young flyweight, he is receiving a higher payment with Brave CF, which he openly discussed on social media. The 24-year-old clarified that he is currently the highest-paid flyweight in the organization, highlighting the financial advantages of his new contract while also bringing forward the huge pay gap between Brave CF and UFC.

The flyweight star revealed the payment difference between Brave CF and UFC

For a long time, the pay disparity within the MMA world, particularly in the UFC, has sparked significant discussion. Many believe that despite the organization’s record-breaking earnings, fighters often don’t receive their fair share. To put that in contrast, the UFC has constantly held fighter pay in a measly bracket of 18-20% of its total revenue. The MMA juggernaut netted a record $1.3 billion in the year 2023. Moreover, the bottom 90 percent of the fighters are usually one injury or a single paycheck away from the infamy of poverty.

While UFC CEO Dana White may deny these claims, former UFC flyweight Mohammad Mokaev has provided an example to illustrate this issue. In a recent Instagram post, he stated, “I’m the highest-paid flyweight fighter in the world right now without holding the title.” Interestingly, Brave CF, which is run by Bahraini royal Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, may not be as prominent as the UFC, yet it reportedly pays its fighters three times more than the UFC does.

This has fueled ongoing conversations among UFC fighters regarding the pay gap. Mokaev, a 24-year-old prodigy, showcased remarkable performances during his time in the UFC, but he faced criticism for what some deemed boring, grappling-heavy fights. This ultimately led to him not being re-signed by the promotion.

However, his move to Brave CF seems to be paying off. As he continues to thrive, many are left wondering: could he make a return to the UFC in the future? Share your thoughts in the comments below!