Dana White Absolved From Hate As Undefeated Prospect Talks UFC Departure

Muhammad Mokaev churns out UFC exit reasons, says CEO Dana White did not have anything to do with negotiations for a new deal or the cut.

Dana White Absolved From Hate As Undefeated Prospect Talks UFC Departure

Muhammad Mokaev says that UFC CEO Dana White did not force him out (Source: X/IMAGO)

Ex-UFC flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev is as of yet, keeping up the toil to get back in. He’s still waiting for his crack to eventually get back in and prove he can become a champ. With CEO Dana White and UFC publicly discouraging his chances of getting re-signed, he’s trying his luck elsewhere. However, Mokaev won’t play the ‘blame the bossman’ game for it.

Dana White handed the fighter a pink slip at the UFC 304 PPV post-fight presser. Mokaev’s public altercations with Manel Kape had caused quite the stir, and the bossman urged that he did “everything wrong“ in the lead-up.

However, Muhammad Mokaev said White did not play the contractual ‘executioner’ here. It was all matchmaker Mick Maynard/Head litigator, and CBO Hunter Campbell. Matter of fact, he recently told MMA reporter Jaiden Cable for ‘Home Of Fight’ (🎥: @Home_of_Fight on X) that he just met White twice; both were way before his departure.

That’s it. Since then, I never talked to Dana, …I never met him, and I understand he doesn’t get involved in flyweight division. So that’s it. I saw him at Power Slap…but I never went to him. I don’t think it’d be good for me … talking publicly. I didn’t go to him because I don’t want to make him uncomfortable…Like Dana said in interview, he wasn’t involved, It’s all matchmakers. I was fighting on the last fight of my deal. So I don’t think the problem in hotel was the main issue. [But] It didn’t help. 

‘Punisher’ is still keen on making it back to the UFC stomping grounds where he was undefeated. As a matter of fact, he was ironically culled right when he asked for a PPV title spot vs. Alexandre Pantoja. Currently, those solemn chances go to Kai Kara-France at the UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira PPV co-main, this June.

After the bossman made his stance clear on not re-signing the flyweight phenom, Mokaev did meet Dana White at a Saudi Power Slap 11: Da Crazy Hawaiian vs. Dumpling 2 event. However, the Team KHK MMA fighter has decided not to ‘bug’ White and brass on it anymore, should it hamper his future hopes. Altogether, though, Mokaev also feels financially content with where he is at right now.

Muhammad Mokaev contemplates already safe financial future

In the interview, Muhammad Mokaev admitted to setting up a backstage ambush and run-in with “Starboy” to drive up matters. While it added to the resolve and intrigue, it did not do much in the aftermath. Their clash and a few subsequent duds in a row could be why he was culled by UFC and Dana White; the fighter admitted as much.

Muhammad Mokaev could still have a place in UFC
Muhammad Mokaev could still have a place in UFC (Source: X)

But Punisher knows he is at a safe spot, even outside, and quite a good draw. The 24-year-old is a 6x British champion, 2x World & 5x European champ, and on quite a long streak. He submitted short-notice rival Joevincent So on the BRAVE CF 91 card and then got a slick KO victory over Bolat Zamanbekov at Karate Combat.

Reeling off more finishes might just find him back on the UFC grounds again. But for Mokaev, it’s more about competition and training for the sake of training right now.

I just wanna compete and stay away from distraction, stay focused…Because if I don’t compete, I don’t see myself motivated to even train. At this stage of my life, I can finish my career. Financially, I can finish my career today and just sit and chill and do nothing because I invested everything. I did everything smart, …if we talk about financial. But my situation, I need to fight to train more. What else I can do? Okay, I wake up in the morning. If I don’t have training, what else will I do?

Mokaev took responsibility for his part in being cut — but he also knows he is not without merits when it counted. More to that, he said he is still in contact with UFC brass and is not some blacklisted case like Paul Daley or Jake Paul (allegedly). So, right now, it’s never say never.

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