‘I wish to be the youngest UFC champion’: Teenage phenom Muhammad Mokaev talks signing first professional contract and aiming MMA glory

Once you enter the skilled ranks with as huge a status as Muhammad Mokaev, there will be some fairly huge expectations positioned on you. Fortunately, the 19-year-old Russian fighter plans on attaining each single one among them.

If we have been to ask you to call a Dagestani grappler who walks to the cage sporting a Papakha and is undefeated in twenty-something blended martial arts bouts, you’d probably level us within the route of the reigning UFC light-weight champion, proper?

Properly, there are two appropriate solutions to this query. The second is the 19-year-old bantamweight Muhammad Mokaev, who has simply inked his first-ever skilled contract with Courageous CF after compiling an impressive newbie report of 23-Zero. And as he advised RT Sport’s Darren Russell shortly after signing his cope with the Bahraini combat promotion, that is simply step one on a journey to the highest of the game.

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“If we discuss cash, ONE and Bellator supplied me loopy cash,” Mokaev defined. “Most likely the highest ten fighters within the UFC do not get this cash. But when we discuss my long run aim, I feel Courageous got here with a superb supply as a result of my long run aim is the UFC.

“Courageous are conscious of this. Courageous settle for me and can take care of me, whereas Bellator… I’ll get caught with them for a very long time.”

Remaining stationary is not on his thoughts proper now, particularly when you could have the kind of ambition Mokaev possesses. His journey into the game started with newbie bouts in 2015, again when he wasn’t but in his mid teenagers after shifting to the UK when he was 12. Since then, and with each win which adopted, his status grew additional.

Maybe it’s this fixed ahead momentum he has skilled via his newbie profession which has led to him persevering with to push for extra alternatives. Bellator, he says, is a sideways step.

“If I signal for Bellator I’ll by no means combat within the UFC I feel. In fact, it is all about cash however my aim is UFC. I wish to be the youngest UFC champion and I can not sit and waste my age in different organizations.”

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This aspiration has a really evident sell-by date. Jon Jones grew to become the youngest UFC champion so far when he defeated Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua in March 2011 to seize the sunshine heavyweight title on the age of 23. Mokaev, who turns 20 subsequent month, has a little bit over three years to repeat this feat. 

His journey to the highest has already garnered the eye of a few of the sport’s most notorious managers – however, in information which can sting a few of the combat sport’s high executives, he will not be signing any offers anytime quickly. 

“Sooner or later within the UFC I can have a supervisor, however I provide you with cash for the work,” he mentioned. “Not like I maintain combating and he will get the cash. That is silly. Fighters pay 20 per cent. What for? For paperwork? For asking a sponsor if they’ll sponsor this man? For only one dialog, they get like 10 per cent, 20 per cent.

“As a fighter it’s a must to know your self. You place the sweat, you set the blood, you injury your self. However different guys do not see this. Managers solely see paperwork. It’s important to know your [own] worth.”

When he makes it to your screens, Mokaev’s ring-walk will resemble that of Khabib Nurmagomedov in that they each put on the normal Papakha hat, however that’s the place the comparisons finish. 

“I used to be sporting it since 2013, 2012,” he mentioned. “Most likely not many individuals knew about Khabib at the moment. It isn’t due to him, it is as a result of I signify my individuals, signify the place I come from.”

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And when that UFC name does come, Mokaev says that he’s prepared for what to anticipate. Such is his status within the newbie scene, he has visited, or been invited to, a number of world class gyms and has additionally blended it up with a few of Russian MMA’s elite.

“I’ve sparred with UFC guys. Featherweights, lightweights, and I do not see a lot distinction skill-wise. I see the energy after all as a result of they’re grown males, however I’ve sparred with guys like Petr Yan, I’ve sparred with Zubaira Tukhugov… Talent-wise, I do not see a lot distinction.”

By the sounds of issues, we can’t have to attend too lengthy to see for ourselves.