Jr bantamweight world champion Muhammad Mokaev sent a clear a stern message to the men’s junior 135lb division, forcing an early TKO in his first bout of the 2019 IMMAF – WMMAA European Open Championships, taking place from 18-23 June in Rome, Italy.
Taking on Irishman Abanoub Fares, Team UK’s Mokaev (12-0) wasted little time in drawing on his bread and butter wrestling, swiftly gliding across the canvas to execute a stellar single-leg takedown.
Mokaev nestled in his opponent’s guard and picked his moment to hurl unrelenting strikes. As Fares’ resilience dwindled, Mokaev pressed on to force the TKO stoppage, taking one step closer to the European Open title, he now heads for tomorrow’s semi-finals.
Having greatly impressed on the UK’s amateur MMA circuit, Mokaev took his talents to the premier international level, entering the men’s Jr bantamweight division of the 2018 IMMAF – WMMAA Unified World Championships. There, a quartet of victories saw Mokaev earn the gold medal, his potential confirmed on the world stage.
By IMMAF.org lead writer, photographer: Jorden Curran
Watch the 2019 European Open live at IMMAF.tv. For full bout schedule/post event results click HERE or visit MyNextMatch.com for live results. Follow @IMMAFed on social media platforms for more live updates.
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