Refusing to tap to buy a sports car… Muhammad Mokaev relives his wildest memories ahead of BRAVE CF 100

EXCLUSIVE: Muhammad Mokaev once showcased amazing heart to not just win a fight but to be able to pay for a sports car.

From competing in his first ever contest to buy a school uniform, to competing in the UFC, the talented athlete has gone on a remarkable journey, with one of the biggest moments of his career set to go down on Friday night inside the Khalifa Sports City in Isa Town, Bahrain, when he battles it out for flyweight gold with Gerard Burns at BRAVE CF 100.

And his road to the historic card has made for a thrilling ride.

Muhammad Mokaev has had a crazy journey to BRAVE CF 100

After arriving in the UK from Dagestan, Russia, at the age of 12, Muhammad Mokaev, who had little prior experience, fell in love with freestyle wrestling, quickly excelling past his peers, before transitioning to the world of MMA.

In 2018, he flew out to Bahrain to compete in the 2018 IMMAF Junior World Championships, where he won gold in front of the Prince. Thus, upon turning professional, it only made sense to sign with Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s promotion, competing five times in the company, before signing with the UFC.

Having cemented his status as one of the best on the planet, it came as no surprise that Mokaev made a massive splash in the American organisation, defeating everyone who ever set foot inside the cage with him.

However, when Jafel Filho put him in a kneebar at UFC 286, the grappler looked in serious trouble. However, with his heart set on owning a Mercedes AMG, he refused to tap.

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In an exclusive interview with Sporf, Mokaev reminisced: “RW Company in Manchester, they were selling the car. The year before I bought the car, I was thinking, ‘If I get some money, I will buy this’. I went to Thailand, I had a shoulder injury and I had to spend some money on the rehab, so I was thinking, ‘Now, I’m not going to be able to buy the Mercedes’.

“So, I came to Manchester, it was one week before the fight. I said to the company, ‘Can you give me the car? I will pay you half now and half after the fight’. They said, ‘Let’s do it’, because they are very loyal to me and trusting. I think, even if I didn’t pay them after the fight, I believe they would’ve given me a couple more months to give them the money back. My loyalty with them is good. So, when he got me in the kneebar, I was like, ‘S—, I owe money to the company, so I’ll swap my knee for an AMG’.”

Muhammad Mokaev expects to dominate Gerard Burns at BRAVE CF 100

Following his victory against Manel Kape at UFC 304 on July 27, 2024, Mokaev, who’s still undefeated, was released by Dana White.

While disappointed with the decision, it opened the door for the superstar to return home to BRAVE CF, with the goal of doing the one thing he didn’t do in his first run — win the championship belt.

The 25-year-old is ready to battle it out with Ireland’s Burns, who has amassed an impressive 7-1 record, making him a tough test for the ex-UFC star.

Regardless, Mokaev is entering the fight with extreme confidence, believing he’s got more than enough to dominate the contest and claim the title for himself.

The sportsman claimed: “It’s a big step up for me to fight five rounds. Dana said, ‘He can go somewhere else and become champion’. It’s not somewhere else; it’s one of the best organisations, and I will show that I’m a champion-calibre fighter.

“Gerard is a good fighter. I see him as a good guy, who’s working hard and has won some fights in BRAVE. He’s doing well, but the competition he’s faced and I’ve faced is on a different level. He’s never faced anybody like me.”

Featured Image Credit: Brave CF