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In last year’s edition of this two-part series, I included Mokaev despite the fact that he had yet to step into the Octagon. One of the most decorated amateur competitors in MMA history and unbeaten as a pro, he profiled as a can’t-miss prospect who was destined to make waves in the UFC.
A year later, Mokaev is 3-0 inside the Octagon, 9-0 with one no contest as a professional, and stationed inside the Top 15 in the ultra-competitive and wildly entertaining flyweight division.
Did I mention he’s only 22 years old?
Fighting out of Manchester, England, the Russian-born standout kicked off the March event in London with a 58-second submission win over Cody Durden. He returned in July when the UFC returned to London, registering a unanimous decision victory over former LFA champ Charles Johnson, and in October, he navigated some tricky spots to collect a third-round submission finish over Canadian veteran Malcolm Gordon.
Mokaev likes to be a showman, but he’s at his best when he just handles his business and lets his performance speak for him. There will be tough tests on the horizon, but “The Punisher” is one of the best prospects to arrive in MMA in years and is someone everyone should be watching this coming year and for many more years to come.