Sean O’Malley admits surprise at UFC deciding to cut Muhammad Mokaev

UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has given his thoughts on the promotion’s decision not to re-sign Muhammad Mokaev.

As many fans know, Muhammad Mokaev is no longer with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He may be an undefeated flyweight prospect, but the promotion has decided he’s not worth keeping on the books. One of the main reasons for that, it seems, is his attitude.

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

From the fight week brawl with Manel Kape at UFC 304 to his apparent bad communication behind the scenes, Mokaev isn’t a beloved figure at the UFC. With that being said, the company has worked with tough individuals before. In this instance, it may have been the rumors that he was negotiating with PFL that led to him not being re-signed.

In a recent episode of his podcast, the aforementioned Sean O’Malley weighed in on the issue.

O’Malley’s Mokaev view

“It is surprising, though, because he’s 25 [years old], and he’s one of the few fighters I can name off the top of my head,” O’Malley said. “He’s 7-0 in the UFC, so it is a little bit surprising. But yeah, also, if you’re going to go in there and make the UFC’s life hell for fight week, and then go in there with only four punches thrown in the first round—they were separating them in the Octagon before the fight even started. Then the bell rings, and three punches were thrown in the first round.”

Quotes via MMA News

Do you agree with the assessment made by Sean O’Malley? If you were the UFC, would you give Muhammad Mokaev another shot? Can you picture him ever becoming a world champion? Let us know your thoughts on this and the flyweight division as a whole, BJPENN Nation!