Muhammad Mokaev: Top UFC flyweights are already watching me, I don't have to send a message

LONDON – Just one UFC fight in, Muhammad Mokaev is already having a hard time finding opponents.

Mokaev (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made a splash in his octagon debut when he ran through Cody Durden in less than a minute in March. He draws newcomer and former LFA champion Charles Johnson on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 208 event, which takes place at The O2 in London. The card streams on ESPN+.

The unbeaten rising star was hoping to draw a ranked opponent next, but couldn’t get anyone to accept the fight.

“Like four guys didn’t accept the fight,” Mokaev told MMA Junkie. “They said I’m nobody when they’re in the top 15. Of course I understand the situation, if they lose I’ll go up and they’ll go down, but if they win, they stay in the same position and Charles Johnson accepted. Charles Johnson is not a worse fighter than the top 15 guys because he had a close fight against (Brandon) Royval who’s ranked No. 6 and when I beat him, I’ll put the top 15 on notice.”

He continued, “My message will be on Saturday night and top flyweight guys, they’re already watching me. I don’t have to send a message. They’re worried about me without messages, watching my fights.”

Mokaev sees Johnson (11-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) as a credible opponent, but doesn’t rate ground game too highly.

“I don’t think he has high calibre grappling and wrestling,” Mokaev said. “He has OK striking, but when strikers fight against wrestlers, they can’t use as much striking because they get taken down any time.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 208.