PFL president dismisses signing "pain in the a**" Muhammad Mokaev after UFC exit

Despite being undefeated in MMA across his amateur and professional career, Muhammad Mokaev is seemingly without a suitor. PFL's Ray Sefo recently made it clear that he doesn't fancy signing the former UFC flyweight.

Following his unanimous decision win over Manel Kape at UFC 304, the Russian-born Englishman was hoping for a contract renewal. Despite his stellar record and the fact that he'd worked his way to the top tier of the rankings, the UFC opted against offering him a new contract.

During the post-fight press conference at the Co-op Live in Manchester, Dana White stated that 'The Punisher' wasn't a big hit with the matchmakers and brushed off rumors that the decision was made owing to Mokaev's wrestling-heavy style.

The UFC CEO hinted at disciplinary issues behind the scenes, saying:

"Yeah, the matchmakers aren't big fans of his, for many different reasons. There are a lot of people who shoot takedowns in this business, a lot of guys who fight with that type of style. It's a lot more than just that... He is not under contract anymore. I think the PFL is going to get a great undefeated guy. Good luck to him."

Catch Dana White's comments below:

During the PFL Nashville post-fight press conference, Sefo shot down the prospect of signing the unbeaten flyweight, having caught wind of Mokaev's antics outside the cage.

"No, [we are not going to sign him] actually I have spoken to people that are in the know, and apparently he is just a pain in the a** to deal with and so no, we're not interested."

Catch Ray Sefo's comments on Muhammad Mokaev below:

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What are Muhammad Mokaev's options after UFC exit?

With Muhammad Mokaev no longer on the UFC roster, his options are limited.

While PFL head honcho Ray Sefo's comments further back up the notion that 'The Punisher' is hard to deal with behind the scenes, the promotion doesn't have a flyweight division to begin with. It acquired Bellator's bantamweight roster, but Mokaev is naturally a 125-pounder. Nevertheless, it seems as though the PFL is ruled out anyway.

Mokaev notably responded to Sefo on X, laughing off any interest in joining the PFL.

Other than returning to a regional promotion like Cage Warriors in England or his former home, BRAVE CF, in Bahrain, the only other seemingly viable destination is ONE Championship. The Singapore-based organization has a 125-pound division and boasts a large audience.