Chael Sonnen recently advocated for the UFC to re-sign Muhammad Mokaev, praising the undefeated flyweight fighter for taking responsibility for his mistakes.
Mokaev clinched a unanimous decision victory over Manel Kape at UFC 304 last month in a matchup clouded by controversy. The conflict erupted at the hotel, where the fighters got into a heated clash. "The Punisher" later admitted he sparked the confrontation by sucker-punching Kape. The pair also nearly came to blows at multiple media events before their bout.
Following his victory over Kape, Mokaev announced the end of his UFC contract and expressed hopes for a renewal. However, during the UFC 304 post-event press conference, UFC CEO Dana White revealed that the Russian-born Englishman would not be offered a new contract. White also hinted that the reasons behind Mokaev's departure extend far beyond his performance in the Octagon.
The UFC's choice to part ways with "The Punisher" ignited rumors that he had begun negotiations with the PFL before his contract ended. However, these speculations were quickly dismissed by Mokaev's manager, Tim Simpson.
Days later, Mokaev acknowledged that his actions were poorly received and issued an apology to the UFC in a series of posts on X. Despite this, White and the company remain steadfast in their decision, as Mokaev has been removed from the official flyweight rankings.
However, "The American Gangster" believes the UFC should offer Mokaev a second chance to redeem himself and rectify his past mistakes…
Sonnen Calls On UFC To 'Show Grace' to Mokaev
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen delved into the possible issues between Mokaev and the UFC matchmakers that ultimately led to the decision to release him from the promotion.
I don't know what he could have done realistically," Sonnen said. "He's got to do two things: he's got to upset the matchmakers, who are really nice guys—like, it's really hard to ever hear a story where somebody was upset with them—and be able to keep it quiet in our industry, which is just wildly difficult to do.
The former light heavyweight title challenger further emphasized that if Mokaev is publicly acknowledging his errors and sincerely expressing regret for his antics, the UFC should consider re-signing him.
When I tell you I want to forgive him, and I do, I guess I should also offer that I don't quite know what we're forgiving him for, but I have guesses. He seems calm, he seems like a guy that really wants his job—in fact, stronger on the position of 'I want to be here, please reconsider.' He's going out to the public, and he's owning everything that he did, whether it's his boring style or the hotel situation. I feel like that's a guy that you would show grace to.
Mokaev recently proclaimed that he has already atoned for any missteps and has even gone so far as to offer to fight for free if the UFC grants him another chance.