Muhammad Mokaev and Paddy Pimblett
Following his victory at UFC London, Muhammad Mokaev had called out the media for promoting fighters like Paddy Pimblett who are bad role models
Muhammad Mokaev defeated former LFA champion Charles Johnson at UFC London this past weekend in a dominant fashion. Mokaev is tipped to be the hottest new prospect on the UFC roster, and impressed everyone with his display at UFC London.
Much like any other undefeated fighter with exceptional wrestling credentials, Mokaev was having trouble finding an opponent ever since his last fight. He is a 6-time British wrestling champion & European BJJ champion, and one of those fighters that can work from the bottom, be competent on the feet, and be dominant on top.
Mokaev mostly fought under the Brave promotion until now. His amateur career was pretty astounding as well, going unbeaten in 23 fights where he fought under the IMMF banner.
Following the victory, Mokev took grand stage to call out Paddy Pimblett for his behavior, and criticized him as a bad role model. He said, “There’s so many guys that don’t get a lot of media attention that should get it,” Mokaev told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “Example, Arnold Allen. It’s Leon Edwards, it’s Tom Aspinall, Nathaniel Wood. These guys are amazing, good examples. I don’t disrespect media, guys, but you give a bullsh*t guy like Paddy Pimblett attention.
“These guys never ever reach the top 15. Like, realistically who understands MMA, they’ll never reach. I don’t think he’s a great role model for young guys. Please follow Tom Aspinall, Arnold Allen, Leon Edwards, real men outside the cage and inside the cage. I’m proud to be on the same card as a man like Tom Aspinall.”
But what exactly was the root of this rivalry?
Mokaev’s journey to MMA has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. Having been born in Dagestan, he and his father left Russia with no money and in 2012 ended up in a refugee centre in Liverpool, England. They spent 28 days thereafter being relocated to a home in Wigan.
About five years ago, Paddy Pimblett took issue with Mokaev walking out under the Union Jack and representing England as he wasn’t born there. Mokaev wasn’t clearly miffed, and decided to address the issue at the right time.
Pimblett had also disrespected the people of Georgia, which fueled his beef with Ilia Topuria.
“I don’t like this guy,” Mokaev said. “I don’t want to talk about him too much, because in 2019 he said on Twitter that, ‘This guy shouldn’t represent England, because he wasn’t born here. He shouldn’t lift the British flag, he was not born here.’
“He talked bad about Georgian people, he talked bad about immigrants and not being welcoming in the U.K., and stuff like this. And people support this bulls—t guy? This is wrong. My coach, my team, nobody likes this guy, because he [says] too much about nationality, race and all these things – that’s low mentality,” Mokaev continued. “It’s low mentality when that’s all you have to say about somebody.”
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