After a fight card with a ho-hum main event and seven fights that went to a decision, UFC CEO Dana White was not in the best of moods after UFC 304, and Mohammed Mokaev was one of the people who felt his wrath.
The card featured several fights many would classify as boring, including the battle between Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape.
Mokaev told reporters earlier in the day that Saturday’s fight was the last one on his current contract, and he didn’t know if he’d be re-signed. White was asked if Mokaev would be back with the UFC, and the former responded, “I think the PFL is gonna get a great undefeated guy.”
Here is a look at the clip from the post-UFC 3-4 presser:
The layers of that back-handed comment are amazing and hilarious to break down.
After devaluing Mokaev because of his fighting style and reported prickliness to do business with, White declined interest in re-signing the 23-year-old from Dagestan while essentially handing him over to the No. 2 MMA promotion in the world.
The PFL mention was a clear and likely purposeful comment that calls out the inferior roster of the UFC’s competitor.
Love him or hate him, there is no denying White plays chess with every post-event presser, and these short talks are among the most entertaining content in the combat sports world.
After Mokaev’s performance on Saturday night–though he won–there probably won’t be many fans arguing with the UFC’s decision to part ways with him.
Mokaev and Kape had tons of bad blood heading into the fight, and it appeared the two men were headed for a knock-down-drag-out fight. Instead, it featured the least action of any battle on the night.
The most eyebrow-raising moment came when Kape broke his toe at the beginning of the second round. The UFC’s flyweight division isn’t in the best position and the Mokaev-Kape situation didn’t help to shine a positive light on the weight class.
While the men’s flyweight champion, Alexandre Pantoja, is one of the most respected and skilled fighters in the world, but he has faced and defeated almost every serious contender in the division.
Amir Albazi is recovering from a severe neck injury, so the next likely title challenger is undefeated 24-year-old Japanese contender Tatsuro Taira. At 16-0 and with obvious star power, Taira is the most exciting flyweight in the division.
The prospects of Taira becoming the UFC’s first Japanese world champion are tantalizing, but Pantoja will not go quietly.
However, Taira’s presence might make it easier for the UFC to say goodbye to a fighter like Mokaev, and ultimately, the young Japanese star may help keep the sometimes-fledgling division afloat.
