By Caoilte de Barra
On Saturday, July 23, Muhammad Mokaev made the walk to the UFC Octagon for a second occasion at UFC London. His debut in the promotion saw him finish Cody Durden within a minute back in March.
His second appearance at the O2 Arena saw the undefeated flyweight prospect lock horns with the highly touted Charles Johnson and put on a dominant display.
Ahead of the match-up, he switched things up and travelled to American Top Team for his camp but anticipates returning to KHK Team for a camp if he is booked for a bout in Abu Dhabi.
The four-time IMMAF gold medalist has already set multiple records throughout his career, and Saturday night saw him set another. Throughout the bout, Mokaev attempted twenty-six takedowns, one effort off matching a record set by Khabib Nurmagomedov. Despite not matching that record, he did secure twelve of those takedowns, the most in a three-round UFC flyweight bout.
Fans were treated to a performance where all aspects of Mokaev’s ability were on show. However, it was his relentless wrestling which was the standout factor. He sent Johnson for a ride on multiple occasions, something he has been renowned for throughout his amateur and professional career.
By beating the former LFA flyweight champion, Mokaev could potentially line up a shot at breaking into the rankings and has already teased some potential opponents such as Tim Elliott and Matt Schnell.
With rounds in the bank, Mokaev continues his undefeated streak that spans over thirty matches and has yet to lose a round. The 21-year-old is determined to become the youngest UFC champion, a record currently held by Jon Jones. He is hoping to remain active and compete in Abu Dhabi later this year.
