Chael Sonnen wants to see Muhammad Mokaev back in the UFC.
Chael Sonnen wants to see Muhammad Mokaev in the UFC.
In one of the more surprising moves this year, the UFC chose not to renew the contract of Mokaev (12-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) – a 23-year-old, undefeated flyweight contender – following his decision win over Manel Kape last month at UFC 304. Mokaev did get into a couple of outside-the-cage altercations during his UFC tenure, and UFC CEO Dana White said his matchmakers had a difficult time working with him.
“There was one comment made by Dana, and Dana White was polite,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “He didn’t call him out, he didn’t embarrass him. He did an extremely broad stroke that he’s difficult to deal with the matchmakers, that there was a difficulty of resistance or lack of enjoyment by the matchmakers. What do they mean? It didn’t sound like something terrible, it didn’t sound like he threatened them.”
Some have suggested that there was probably more to the Mokaev situation that has yet to be reported. However, Sonnen believes there was no good reason not to renew Mokaev’s contract because if there had been, he would’ve heard about it.
“When I watch his career, it looks like he was as active as everybody else, so I don’t think he was turning fights down,” Sonnen said. “You must understand guys, I don’t know. That’s one of the things that surprised me, I don’t know. You can’t keep something like this secret, you just can’t.”
Mokaev has been removed from the UFC rankings, and he has confirmed he’s no longer with the promotion. Sonnen hopes this is not permanent and wants the UFC to reconsider its stance on the flyweight contender.
“I don’t know what we’re quite forgiving him for, but I have guesses, and he seems calm and really seems like a guy that wants his job,” Sonnen said. “In fact, stronger on the position of ‘I want to be here, please reconsider,’ that I believe I have ever seen, and that has to mean something.
“When a guy has that kind of passion, that kind of energy, and he’s telling you he’s sorry, and going to the public and owning everything that he did whether he’s got a boring style, or he had the hotel situation. I feel like that’s a guy you show grace to.
“I don’t know him, I’ve just watched him in the media, and it’s something he really wants. Really, I sincerely believe that now that he’s aware, that he will not take those actions again. I’m giving him a shout-out, but we’ll see. I hope that they get it worked out. I hope that he gets that contract with the UFC.”
