Muhammad Mokaev Details Lifestyle Changes Since Walking Away from the UFC: I was 21 and Stupid
Muhammad Mokaev has made some major shifts in his habituations as of late as compared to how he was conducting himself during his first tenure with the UFC. During a recent interview with One on One MMA, the unbeaten combatant during his UFC run and current BRAVE CF champion spoke with Adam Catterall during the recent UFC Qatar fight week.
When asked about what his present day relationship with the UFC was as compared to when he left the promotion on less than amicable terms, to put it lightly, and Mokaev said,
“I think it’s much better now. It’s much, much better than it was two years ago. And I changed totally – even my lifestyle, everything, many things changed. I’m 25 now. I cannot blame and say I’m 21, young, stupid. No, I’m old, I’m a grown old man, and I have to be responsible for my own things. What happened to you has caused that attitude, or is it just growth in general?”
Like you say, 25 years old now, got a young family, all these things you’re taking care of outside the octagon. I think it’s one of the points – what happened with UFC probably changed me like 80%. Yeah, and all the other things: I have a three-year-old daughter now, I have family, things I do in my life. I cannot just say, ‘I’m sorry, I’m 21, 22, I’m stupid.’ Now everything I do is fully mind-controlled.”
Muhammad Mokaev foresees UFC return next year
Muhammad Mokaev seems confident that he will not only return to the UFC but that his next stretch inside the octagon will begin in 2026.
The 25-year-old mentioned this during the referenced interview above during the Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dan Hooker fight week. Mokaev wasn’t so presumptuous to say he thinks he will get a title shot in his first fight back, but Mokaev sees himself returning to the UFC flyweight division in the next calendar year.
The British-Dagestani mixed martial artist is someone who would bolster an ever-growing weight class with a big UFC return from Kyoji Horiguchi, Alexandre Pantoja defending the belt against Joshua Vana t UFC 323 this weekend, and plenty more.
