- Muhammad Mokaev lost to a late replacement opponent in a grappling event held in Abu Dhabi
- “The Punisher” was supposed to face UFC’s Raul Rosas Jr.
Muhammad Mokaev was beaten by a late replacement opponent in a grappling match.
An upset loss
Shortly after being officially cut by the UFC, “The Punisher” was scheduled for a grappling match against UFC bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr. at ADXC 6 in Abu Dhabi. However, the UFC apparently prevented the Rosas Jr. from taking part in it, resulting in a late replacement.
Instead of Rosas Jr., Brazilian grappler Rogerio Bontorin took on the now-former UFC fighter Mokaev. To everybody’s surprise, Mokaev lost to Bontorin via decision.
Mokaev accepted his defeat
Many viewed Mokaev’s defeat as an upset, considering how much more prepared he was compared to his opponent. However, “The Punisher” admitted that Bontorin was a really tough opponent and his lost was a great experience after all.
“Today I lost by split decision at the grappling event against a very tough opponent! He had a better plan, I congratulate him and his team! Another 15 minutes of experience,” Mokaev wrote on X.
Today I Lost by split decision at the grappling event against a very tough opponent!
He had better plan, I congratulate him and his team!
Another 15 minutes of experience— Muhammad Mokaev (@muhammadmokaev) October 26, 2024
Prior to his grappling loss, Mokaev made some headlines for being a controversial fighter during his time with the UFC. The 24-year-old has been undefeated in all of his seven consecutive fights under the UFC banner.
However, Mokaev regularly had conflicts with the UFC brass which ultimately led to his untimely exit. As it stands, “The Punisher” is currently in contract with Brave CF. In MMA, “The Punisher” has remained unbeaten. He still has a 13-0 pro record.
