Aljamain Sterling defends Muhammad Mokaev after UFC release: “I think it’s f***ed up”

Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling thinks the promotion made a significant error in releasing Muhammad Mokaev.

Mokaev defeated Manel Kape by unanimous decision at UFC 304 last month in Manchester. The win moved him to 13-0 in his career, and at the time, moved him one step closer to a flyweight title shot.

But, the UFC matchmakers and CEO Dana White shut down re-signing Mokaev after the last fight on his contract. White went as far as to encourage the PFL to sign the undefeated flyweight, despite the league not having a men’s flyweight division, as of this writing.

Mokaev remains a free agent and is lost at sea when it comes to his MMA career. White alluded to Mokaev being a difficult fighter to work with as a primary reason for their decision not to re-sign him.

Sterling, who has had his complicated moments with the UFC brass, feels Mokaev didn’t deserve to be let go after a series of UFC 304 fight week controversies.

Aljamain Sterling weighs in on the Muhammad Mokaev controversy

In a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, Sterling expressed disappointment in the UFC’s handling of Mokaev.

“If you ask me, I think it’s f*cked up,” Sterling said. “I don’t think there was any real reason to cut him. You can say the piggybacking of the fight at the P.I., but that takes two to tango…

“I know Mokaev was the first one to talk shit. Manel told him, ‘When you see me, keep that same energy.’ He saw him, tried to apologize, but Manel told him to keep that same energy, they had a fight or whatever happened, the scuffle. Fast forward, they had a fight again … and then we saw what happened at the hotel, which is kind of odd to put your arm around someone to take a picture and then sucker-punch them. I think that’s a little bit too low for me. I think that one was very, very dirty. Then they fought the way that they fought, which was unfortunate because the whole toe thing with Manel in that fight. Then you’ve got one guy who is undefeated, gets cut, it’s weird.” (h/t MMA Fighting/Jed Meshew)

The UFC has expressed no intentions of pivoting in its stance on Mokaev, and the PFL is uninterested in signing the undefeated flyweight.