Muhammad Mokaev was a top UFC contender when he was unceremoniously axed from the promotion – and he looked every bit of that in his first fight since.
At BRAVE CF 91 on Friday, Mokaev (13-0) made quick work of short-notice replacement Joevincent So (10-6) with a submission in under two minutes’ time. The event took place at Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town, Bahrain.
Mokaev, 24, remains unbeaten as an MMA fighter with 13 professional wins and 23 amateur wins. He went 7-0 in the UFC from March 2022 to July 2024 before the promotion decided to move on from Mokaev.
The move by the UFC to part ways with Mokaev was a rare one. UFC CEO Dana White did not mention specifics, but indicated the decision was due to behind-the-scenes issues between Mokaev and members of the UFC staff.
Mokaev has since indicated he hopes to rejoin the promotion, though the UFC has not yet displayed fresh interest.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Muhammad Mokaev runs through first opponent since UFC departure
