UFC flyweight Kai Kara-France was blasted by a fellow flyweight for backtracking on his comments and avoiding talks of a potential clash.
Muhammad Mokaev lashed out at the fighter from New Zealand for pretending to not know about Mokaev in response to a question about taking him on.
Mokaev cited an exchange they had before his UFC debut in 2022 against Cody Durden, which included Kara-France praising Mokaev's form and lauding him as a future contender.
"He was an amateur world champion and undefeated. So, if he keeps that going and breaks through that top ten. Yeah, he's definitely going to be a contender."
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Muhammad Mokaev had graciously accepted the praise on X (formerly Twitter) and stated that he would land in the UFC sooner than expected, while also wishing Kai Kara-France the best for his upcoming fight.
"Nice and respectful kid but will see him sooner than he actually thinks [gold medal emoji] Good luck this weekend @kaikarafrance"
In his recent post, Mokaev used a graphic from Sportskeeda with the exchange between the two fighters.
Check out his post below:
Kara-France has lost his last two fights against Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi, while Mokaev remains undefeated in his professional career. His latest win came over Tim Elliott at UFC 294, taking his tally of wins inside the octagon to five.
Fans react to Muhammad Mokaev calling out Kai Kara-France on X
The No.8 ranked Muhammad Mokaev has no shortage of support amongst fans, despite being lower ranked than Kai Kara-France, who holds the No.4 spot in the UFC flyweight division.
Fans backed him in his post's replies, stating that Kara-France was looking to avoid the same fate as his teammates who have faced Dagestani opponents.
"Dagestanis have already broken his gym mates, he doesn’t want another humiliation"
"He’ll know who you are when you choke him out"
"He knows damn well who you are"
"All their team is so annoying (Izzy, Volk and co)"
Other fans staunchly expressed their belief in his championship potential.
"You'll be at the very top soon mate, you're well on your way saw you live at ufc London, what a performance! Heart of a lion"
"@muhammadmokaev honestly you are the only one who can become champion in this division, and the most talented by far..."
"You finish the cringe bag in 2 rounds"
Check out fans comments in the screenshots below: