Muhammad Mokaev, one of the brightest prospects in European mixed martial arts, has signed with the UFC, becoming the second youngest athlete on the promotion’s roster.
The undefeated fighter, 21, has been making a name for himself through the amateur ranks, racking up a 23-0 record before turning professional last year.
Since then, Mokaev has recorded five wins, all under the Brave CF banner. Most recently, he defeated Blaine O’Driscoll at Brave CF 54 in September.
"Muhammad is a flyweight I had been keeping an eye on for quite some time,” UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard told the company’s official website on Wednesday. “He is very experienced at only 21 years old with almost 30 fights when you combine amateur and pro bouts.
“He is undefeated, dynamic and very charismatic. Mohammad sees himself as a flyweight Khabib [Nurmagomedov]. He is a perfect fit for this young, fun division."
Originally from Dagestan, Mokaev fights out of Manchester, England. He won successive junior bantamweight titles at the IMMAF World Championships in 2018 and 2019.
Mokaev has signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC. A date for his debut, or which opponent he will first face in the promotion, have yet to be given.
Azhar Muhammad Saul, partner & senior vice president of Paradigm Sports, the company that represents Mokaev, told The National: “Muhammad’s focus is incredible. He is dedicated to this life. This is another step towards his goal of being the youngest UFC champion in history."
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Most match wins on clay
Guillermo Vilas - 659
Manuel Orantes - 501
Thomas Muster - 422
Rafael Nadal - 399 *
Jose Higueras - 378
Eddie Dibbs - 370
Ilie Nastase - 338
Carlos Moya - 337
Ivan Lendl - 329
Andres Gomez - 322
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
If you go...
Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
