Muhammad Mokaev "did it to himself," says fellow flyweight Steve Erceg about undefeated star's controversial UFC exit
Steve Erceg recently stated that Muhammad Mokaev's contentious departure from the UFC resulted solely from his missteps. 'The Punisher' was formally cut from the MMA promotion's roster following his unanimous decision win over Manel Kape at UFC 304 last month in Manchester.
Although Mokaev is considered one of the most promising talents in the flyweight division, Dana White revealed that his contract would not be extended. The UFC CEO explained that the decision to part ways with the undefeated Russian wasn't based on his fighting style but rather on a string of off-the-octagon concerns that made the matchmakers unwilling to offer him a renewal.
During the UFC 305 media day, 'Astroboy' weighed in on Mokaev's situation. The former UFC 125-pound title challenger expressed regret about a talent like 'The Punisher' being released from the organization but noted that Mokaev is ultimately responsible for his fate:
"I don't want to kick a man when he's down as much as possible, but yeah, he made some decisions. He obviously didn't win over people, I guess—not the fans and obviously not the people in the company. So I feel bad for what happened to him, but I guess he did it to himself."
Check out Steve Erceg's comments below (3:49):
Mokaev regretted his antics and pleaded with the UFC to re-sign him through various interviews and social media posts. In a bid to earn a second chance, he even offered to fight for free in hopes of rejoining the organization.
Amid the ambiguity regarding his next steps, Mokaev recently dropped a cryptic hint on X, suggesting that he has signed with a new MMA promotion.
Check out Muhammad Mokaev's post below:
Steve Erceg shares he would have called out Muhammad Mokaev if he had won at UFC 301
Steve Erceg challenged reigning flyweight titleholder Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301 this past May, but despite a valiant effort, he was unable to dethrone the champion.
During a recent appearance on the MMArcade Podcast, 'Astroboy' revealed that if he had defeated Pantoja, he had intended to call out Muhammad Mokaev for his first title defense due to several factors:
"If I had won the title, I was calling him [Mokaev] out because I think he's very popular, I think he's a good fighter, and I wanted to get one over on him, obviously. But yeah, that won't happen now unless he makes his way back."
Check out Steve Erceg's comments below (6:51):