Muhammad Mokaev finally has a new home after his public departure from the UFC last month. "The Punisher" has signed with Brave CF, where he previously competed prior to the UFC.
Mokaev's signing was first reported by the BBC before the promotion put out a press release announcing his signing.
In a statement in the release, Brave CF president Mohammad Shahid said Mokaev and his talents were welcome with open arms, and he appeared to accuse other promoters, including UFC CEO Dana White, of trying to defame the Dagestan-born Brit's character.
There has been an unjust persecution of his character and attempts to use defamation to feed personal vendettas, and is evidently clear that there are no clear reasons as to why the best athlete in the world cannot compete," Shahid stated. "This is not what the sport is all about, and for BRAVE CF to have him back is fantastic, and he now can become a voice for all these challenges. Not only that, his return solidifies our ethos to have the best fight the best irrespective of any other variable, be it of creed, sex, color or marketability.
We would like to welcome back Muhammad Mokaev, an undefeated superstar, who is an amateur legend, with two IMMAF world titles, and someone who has proven to be the best flyweight in the world, with no losses to his amateur or professional record. This is a very exciting time for Brave CF.
Muhammad Mokaev Signs With Brave CF Following UFC Departure
Mokaev made his professional MMA debut with Brave CF in 2020, scoring a decision win over Glenn McVeigh at Brave CF 37. Five of the seven fights Mokaev had prior to signing with the UFC were in the organization, with "The Punisher" going 4-0 (1 NC).
Mokaev later went 7-0 in the UFC and was a top flyweight contender. However, he was not re-signed by the promotion, with White criticizing Mokaev in a UFC 304 post-fight press conference for "so much bad s*** that happened behind the scenes."
That card saw Mokaev defeat Manel Kape in a lackluster outing after a fight week that included multiple confrontations between the pair, including one where Mokaev sucker-punched "Starboy."
PFL's Ray Sefo later added that he had heard Mokaev was a "pain in the ass" and the promotion was not interested in him.