Muhammad Mokaev baffled by Steve Erceg's UFC 301 title shot: 'They can delay, but they cannot deny my destiny'

Muhammad Mokaev was pretty angry to find out that Steve Erceg got a UFC flyweight title shot over him.

At UFC Fight Night 238 earlier this month, Mokaev (11-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) defeated former title challenger Alex Perez. On the same night, Erceg (12-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) notched his first octagon finish when he knocked out Matt Schnell. With flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja (27-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) looking to defend his title at UFC 301 on May 4 in Rio, the promotion opted to give Erceg the title shot over Mokaev.

“They gave the opportunity to ranked No. 10, Steve Erceg, who has only three fights in the UFC,” Mokaev told talkSPORT. “I have more finishes in the UFC than he has fights in the UFC. I don’t know why they’ve done this, but what me and my team decided, I’m fighting everybody in this division. They can delay, but they cannot deny my destiny.”

Mokaev thinks the lack of a finish is what hurt his chances.

“They told me before the fight, if you finish Alex Perez, you’re fighting for the belt,” Mokaev said. “I didn’t finish Alex Perez. I didn’t feel well in the morning of the fight. I know casual fans don’t care how you feel. They will say, ‘Excuses,’ but it’s not just me, 95 percent of the fighters don’t feel well in the training camps. Not going into fights 100 percent, it was me that fight.”

Mokaev has shifted his focus to Brandon Royval, who was also campaigning for a second shot at Pantoja after defeating Brandon Moreno at UFC Fight Night 237. Mokaev wants Royval on the UFC’s rumored Manchester card in July.

“Soon I will be back Just waiting on Royval , now sure if he wants to come to Manchester .”

Soon I will be back
Just waiting on Royval , now sure if he wants to come to Manchester pic.twitter.com/2VeVILIqNc

— Muhammad Mokaev (@muhammadmokaev) March 18, 2024

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 301.