Muhammad Mokaev explains why he agreed to fight unranked opponent at UFC 286: “Do you want me to sit and wait till September?”

UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev has explained why he agreed to fight unranked Jafel Filho in his next fight with the promotion.

Ever since entering the Ultimate Fighting Championship last year, Muhammad Mokaev has been making waves. He’s 9-0 (1) as a pro in mixed martial arts and in the UFC, he holds a record of 3-0.

While his last two outings haven’t been as impressive as his debut, he’s still one to watch. In fact, if he carries on down this road, he may end up being one of the youngest UFC champions of all time.

At UFC 286 in London, though, many believe he’ll be taking a step back. It was announced recently that he’ll be taking on Jafel Filho, who will make his full UFC debut at the event.

Filho, 29, beat Roybert Echeverria last September on Contender Series to earn a contract with the company.

When asked why he’s fighting an unranked opponent on Twitter, Mokaev had the following to say.

But if you read my recent post it says that I tried to get top 15 opponent
Do you want me to sit and wait till September?

— Muhammad Mokaev (@muhammadmokaev) January 17, 2023

“But if you read my recent post it says that I tried to get top 15 opponent. Do you want me to sit and wait till September?”

Mokaev is making moves

The youngest is 2-0 when fighting in London and will be the overwhelming favourite here. Alas, that’s not really what this is about.

If the man himself is to be believed, there are fighters out there in the top 15 who are actively ducking him. If that kind of thing continues, he’ll be forced to keep taking bouts like this.

Either way, they can’t run from Mokaev forever – and the 22-year-old knows that.

What do you think about Muhammad Mokaev’s next opponent at UFC 286? Do you believe it’s just a matter of time before he becomes a genuine title contender in the UFC? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, BJPENN Nation!