UFC flyweight Amir Albazi is frustrated not to have had the chance to face Muhammad Mokaev inside the Octagon, believing he would comfortably get the better of the 24-year-old.
Albazi and Mokaev have long been two of the top prospects surging toward contention at 125 pounds and both found themselves inside the top five this year, vying for a shot at Alexandre Pantoja's gold.
During their respective charges up the flyweight ladder, they didn't shy away from going back and forth with each other, with "The Punisher" accusing "The Prince" of avoiding a fight with him last year.
The pair now won't be able to settle their grudge inside the Octagon anytime soon after Mokaev didn't have his contract renewed following his win over Manel Kape at last month's pay-per-view in Manchester.
While reacting to that widely discussed decision, Albazi once again made it clear how he thinks a battle with Mokaev would have played out...
Albazi: I Was Never Impressed With Mokaev
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Albazi gave his take on the promotion's decision not to re-sign his flyweight rival following the completion of his contract at UFC 304.
"The Prince" first reiterated his confidence when it comes to how he matches up against Mokaev, insisting "The Punisher" did little to impress during his undefeated 7-0 run on MMA's biggest stage.
To be honest, regarding the fight, I was never impressed with Mokaev. I always thought 10 out of 10 times, I would beat him," Albazi said. "That’s just my opinion of things. ... I would have loved to fight him to just prove to people that I could take him on and that wouldn’t be a problem for me. But it is what it is.
Nevertheless, despite the animosity between them, Albazi refused to pile in on Mokaev following his UFC release, noting he would never take joy from a fellow fighter losing their job.
Him getting cut — I don’t like the guy, but I don’t want to take away people’s jobs," Albazi stated. "So, I still think it sucks that he never got to continue fighting in the UFC with his winning streak.
It remains to be seen what lies in the future for Mokaev, who has frequently kept his sights on a UFC return in the days since his departure.
And it appears that an announcement regarding his next career move in pursuit of an Octagon comeback isn't too far away judging by the Dagestan-born Brit's latest social media post.