Former UFC welterweight contender Ben Askren once commented on Dana White, saying, “If he didn’t like you, he did try to get rid of you.” It turns out he wasn’t wrong. White, the UFC head honcho, has spent his peak years building the MMA empire, elevating it to a multi-billion dollar venture. So, it’s understandable that he wouldn’t tolerate anyone tarnishing its image. Take the case of undefeated fighter Muhammad Mokaev (13-0-0). At just 24, with an impressive record, ‘The Punisher’ was a promising English-Dagestani prospect.

However, due to various misconduct incidents—especially the “sucker punch” incident that led to a brawl with Manel Kape a day before UFC 304—White didn’t hesitate to release him from the organization soon after the conclusion of the event in Manchester last July. Despite multiple attempts to return to the UFC, Muhammad Mokaev was left empty-handed and ultimately returned to Brave FC. For the unversed, this is where he began his professional MMA career.

But now, something unexpected has reignited Mokaev’s potential UFC comeback. Dana White recently highlighted UFC’s ‘pack fight’ trading cards on his Instagram, including a clip featuring Mokaev’s signed card. ‘The Punisher’ picked up on it and took to X, sharing the clip with the caption, “See you soon!!” hinting at his possible return.

However, this hope seems to be false, as White had already made his stance clear at the recent DWCS in front of the media, stating that he remains fixed on not signing Mokaev again with the UFC. White said, “It is what it is… This is an opportunity to be here and perform in front of the entire world. He’s just a guy that did everything wrong and p*ssed these guys off.”

Despite being cut from the UFC, Muhammad Mokaev still has many options in his lap, including promotions like Rizin, PFL, and Karate Combat. He also had a scheduled grappling fight against UFC fighter Raul Rosas Jr. at the ADXC, which unfortunately fell through at the last moment. But who does ‘The Punisher’ have to blame? You know the answer.

Mokaev holds Dana White responsible for ADCC fight disruption

Muhammad Mokaev’s career has never faced this level of disruption. This year, he was cut from the world’s biggest mixed martial arts stage, a dream for every fighter. Then there was a glimmer of hope for a return to the fight game against UFC bantamweight contender Raul Rosas Jr., an emerging 20-year-old MMA prospect in the BJJ scene. Their fight was scheduled for October 25 at ADXC 6 in Abu Dhabi.

However, just a few days before the fight, the ADXC authorities announced that the clash had been canceled “due to unforeseen circumstances.” The promotion provided unsatisfactory reasons for the cancellation. This raised many doubts and left fans in the dark about the behind-the-scenes issues. ‘The Punisher’ had his thoughts on the unfortunate situation and expressed them on social media. He stated, “I have a lot of respect for Raul Rosas Jr. Unfortunately, the UFC didn’t let him compete. I wish you all the best, bro!” Additionally, Mokaev went on to lose his bout via split decision against last-minute replacement, Rogerio Bontorin who was also once contracted by the UFC but now piles his trade in Rizin.

What’s your take on Muhammad Mokaev’s actions? He has been striving to return to the UFC for months now. And this desperation is impacting his reputation among fans, turning him into a target for ridicule in the fight community. Should he reconsider his approach? Drop your thoughts below.