Kai Kara-France recently suggested that Muhammad Mokaev's grappling-centric approach was a key factor leading to his release from the UFC.
Mokaev secured a unanimous decision victory over Manel Kape in their heated grudge match at UFC 304 last month. The intense rivalry between the two flyweight contenders spilled over into an eventful fight week, marked by several unsightly confrontations and even a brief physical altercation.
Despite earning his seventh consecutive victory in the Octagon, UFC CEO Dana White revealed during the UFC 304 post-fight press conference that "The Punisher" would not be re-signed.
White clarified that the decision to release Mokaev wasn't merely due to his perceived uninspiring fighting style but was largely influenced by a series of out-of-competition issues that made the matchmakers reluctant to offer him a new contract.
Mokaev acknowledged that his conduct was out of line and issued a public apology to the UFC through a series of posts on X. Despite his remorse and even offering to fight for free, the MMA promotion remained steadfast in their decision, leading to his removal from the official flyweight rankings.
"Don't Blink," who is slated to co-headline the UFC 305 card this weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, against Steve Erceg, believes that Mokaev's release is justified…
Kara-France Takes Aim at Mokaev After UFC Release: 'This Is The Hurt Business'
During the UFC 305 media day on Wednesday, Kara-France shared his thoughts on the current landscape of the UFC flyweight division and his upcoming bout against Erceg. The former interim title challenger emphasized that the division is wide open, with a title shot up for grabs for anyone who delivers a strong performance against top-tier opponents.
It's a funny time for flyweights, especially as contenders, because it's wide open—anyone can beat anyone, and anyone can get a title shot," Kara-France said. "When I told my coach Eugene [Bareman] and my manager Ash [Ashley Belcastro] I want to fight on this Perth card, Steve's name came across the table, and straight away we knew this was the fight to take. We want to fight the guys that just fought for the belt, and that's how I took it back to fighting for a world title—take him out in his hometown, and look, whoever's the champ when it's time to go, that's the clear pathway.
"Don't Blink" went on to comment on Mokaev's departure from the UFC, suggesting that it was largely due to his fighting style. He emphasized that in MMA, it's not just about winning—it's about putting on a show. Fans and the promotion want to see fighters who are willing to leave it all in the Octagon and truly entertain.
There's been a lot of guys that have come through and done really well. Mokaev is a guy that was obviously winning, but this isn't wrestling, this isn't grappling, this isn't doing the bare minimum just to win—this is an entertainment sport, this is the hurt business. If you're not in there to entertain and lay it all on the line, people want to see that heart, that courage, that willingness to go all in and get the knockout. Or not just the knockout, but go in there and show why you should be co-headlining, not on the prelims. That's why Steve and I are in this position because that's what we do—we go out there and fight, not just talk about it and build it up.
Kara-France is returning to the Octagon after a year-long hiatus following a controversial split-decision loss to Amir Albazi in June 2023. The 31-year-old New Zealander is currently on a two-fight skid, which also includes a TKO defeat at the hands of Brendon Moreno during their interim title clash at UFC 277 in July 2022.
"Don't Blink" is eager to reverse his fortunes and reclaim his spot in the title conversation with a decisive victory over Erceg this weekend.