What does it really take to stay in the UFC? A massive fanbase? An undefeated record? Not quite. If you’re not in Dana White’s good books, your time in the promotion might be limited, regardless of your résumé. Just take a page from Muhammad Mokaev’s book. Even though he’s still got that perfect record, he was let go last year and has been hopping around different promotions since then. In light of some behind-the-scenes drama and rumored conflicts with the matchmakers, Dana White has made it clear that the UFC will not be extending Mokaev’s contract. But did Muhammad Mokaev call it a day? No way.
After initially trying to rally fan support for an immediate return to the promotion, The Punisher went on to compete under Brave FC and later fought at Karate Combat 54, where he secured a KO win over Bolat Zamanbekov. And he kept the ball rolling. In the main event of 971 FC 2, Muhammad Mokaev snagged a decision victory over Thomas Assis, a Brazilian fighter boasting Jungle Fight experience and stepping into the ring with a solid 12-2 record. And with the victory, the cash started flowing in like a river.
A few hours ago, “Mighty” Demetrious Johnson welcomed former UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev on the latest edition of The MightyCast on YouTube. There, the conversation turned into a remarkable story of how an undefeated UFC fighter credits Dana White for helping him rise from homelessness to building a $350,000 fortune. During the podcast, Johnson pointed out, “The one thing I’ve always, I see you, you know, I follow your interviews and I pick up pieces you say. You don’t have to fight. You’ve made investments in buying houses, right? So, talk to me about that. Where did that mindset come from?” he asked.
Muhammad Mokaev responded, “Yeah, so basically I’m not from a rich family. I grew up in… like I came to the UK at 12 years old, living in a refugee center. Then I moved to a council estate, living in a council house, never had my own home, traveling, and then the council can say, ‘Hey, we have to move to a new house because this house belongs to somebody,’ and then packing stuff and moving to a new area. So, I’m from that side and I never had my own corner in a house, you know?” That experience, he said, motivated him to grow, and he credited Dana White for helping him move past his homelessness.
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“So, once I got my first money from UFC, I bought a house in the UK,” Muhammad Mokaev shared. “And then I just invest, whatever I earn, I invest everything to rent out and get money.” With his net worth now estimated at over $350,000, the 25-year-old revealed he has even bigger plans. “Now I’m building the training center in Dagestan. I’m building it not just for people, but so I can do the camps that bring my people, my team to do the camps. You got like a UFC-size octagon, you know? And the gym, the pool, recovery center. So, I invest also, I bought one Bitcoin. So, I’m waiting for it to go crazy.”
Seeing Muhammad Mokaev accomplish so much at a young age, and as he himself claimed last year, being the “highest-paid flyweight” in the world after signing with Brave CF, it seems he has no regrets about not returning to Dana White’s UFC.
Dana White feels the burn after Muhammed Mokaev’s defection
After leaving the UFC, Muhammad Mokaev went on to compete under Brave FC and later fought at Karate Combat 54, where he scored a KO victory over Bolat Zamanbekov. So, earlier this year, he claimed to be a changed man. “I made some mistakes, whatever happened,” he told MMA Fighting. “We are humans.” However, it now seems Mokaev has shifted from those sentiments.
Not only is he signing with Karate Combat, but he has made it clear he has no plans to return to the UFC. In an accidental reveal last month, the president of Karate Combat let slip that Muhammad Mokaev would be fighting for the organization. The clip was shared on X, and in response, ‘The Punisher’ wrote, “That’s my brother! @pres_awesome Much respect!” But what about his decision not to come back to the UFC?
When a fan suggested he could make his UFC return by doing one interview with the Nelk Boyz, the 14-0 fighter shut it down. “I don’t need that belt if I have to get back to the UFC by supporting those people. Simple. My principles over my dreams,” he said. That rematch reaffirmed how deep their rivalry runs—and sheds new light on the intensity behind fan reactions that initially sparked Anik’s emotional comments. On platforms such as X and Reddit, fans have reignited debate: should commentators stray beyond impartial call‑outs, or should they stick strictly to describing fights? One post on r/MMA questioned whether broadcast teams must silence themselves to avoid backlash, while many X users argued commentators deserve space to defend their integrity amid controversy.
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