Muhammad Mokaev will look to win his first major title at BRAVE CF 100.
Mokaev (15-0) takes on Gerard Burns (7-1) for the flyweight belt in Friday’s main event from Khalifa Sports City in Bahrain. Since his surprise release from the UFC, Mokaev has gone 2-0.
Mokaev went on an impressive 7-0 run in the octagon, and was on the cusp of title contention after defeating Manel Kape at UFC 304 in July 2024. The promotion opted not to re-sign him, but Mokaev is out on a mission to prove why that was a mistake.
“It will show the world why I should have never been cut, why I’m the best flyweight in the world,” Mokaev told MMA Junkie Radio. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in the UFC or another organization, if I’m the best flyweight fighter in the world in BRAVE, then I’m the best fighter in this division.
“The organization doesn’t mean that they have higher-ranked fighters than you being champion in other leagues. Some champions in other leagues are better than UFC, and UFC is better than others. You cannot always say the UFC has the best flyweights in the world. If you think you have the best flyweight in the world, call me.”
Mokaev is comfortable being back with BRAVE CF, but is certainly open to co-promotion to continue taking on top-level talent.
“Right now, I’m focused on BRAVE,” Mokaev said. “I’m in a really good relationship with BRAVE, so they have to come with a offer that would be good for me, too, because I’m in a good situation. I have a good paycheck, and I see, for example, some big fights, also.
“I would like to sit down with PFL and BRAVE. I don’t know if they’d be interested to make flyweight champion vs. bantamweight PFL champion Sergio Pettis. I think that would be something big in the Middle East. That’s just my imagination. I don’t know how this is going to work out.”
