New UFC signing Muhammad Mokaev on Khabib Nurmagomedov comparisons
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‘I want to write my own story’ - UFC’s Mokaev on Khabib comparisons
Undefeated, unfazed and seemingly unstoppable, Muhammad Mokaev has the world at his feet.
Mokaev, 21, is an exciting prospect fighting out of Wigan, by way of Dagestan, with a perfect amateur and professional record.
He signed his UFC contract last week despite his young age and has built up a huge reputation in mixed martial arts.
But despite the spotlight intensifying, Mokaev says he feels no pressure.
"Of course the UFC is huge but it's not going to distract me. In the morning, I'm grinding and at night time, I'm training," Mokaev told BBC Sport.
"I feel excited but this is not my final step, this is not my final goal. My final goal is to be the youngest UFC champion."
Mokaev's amateur success caught the attention of current UFC welterweight Khamzat Chimaev, who urged the youngster to turn professional when they met three years ago.
"Do you know what's funny, when I won my first championship in 2018, he [Chimaev] fought on Brave Combat Federation and that's when we met," Mokaev remembered.
"He told me, 'What you doing? Go professional, you are good enough'. I said, 'Hey, give me one more year'."
Chimaev trains out of Sweden, having moved there as a teenager, and has taken the UFC by storm, earning four impressive victories since he made his debut in July 2020. The Russian-born fighter is already in the frame for a title shot.
Mokaev can't help but be inspired by Chimaev's journey and has continued to bond with the fighter.
"When I went professional, I was fighting in Sweden in August last year," Mokaev said.
"I went to his town and his gym and I didn't call him, or tell him I was in town because he just had his second fight in the UFC.
"He was about to come back to Sweden. I didn't want to disturb him. He texted me and said 'Why didn't you call me?'. Imagine, after all the hype after two fights [in the UFC].
"So, he came to the hotel, he picked my coach and my team up, he took us to a restaurant. He came to my fight and I actually wore his gloves."
Mokaev won that pro debut at Brave 37 against Glenn McVeigh with a dominating performance in front of Chimaev, who took just 17 seconds to knock out Gerald Meerschaert in his next fight that September.
Muhammad Mokaev is undefeated in his amateur and pro career
While Chimaev is an example Mokaev wants to follow, there has also been inevitable comparisons with Khabib Nurmagomedov, who like Mokaev was born in Dagestan. But Mokaev - who officially became a British citizen this year - says he wants to create his own story.
"Khabib is great for the younger generation," Mokaev added. "He's earned so much money and he shows good examples.
"He doesn't party or nothing, but at the same time, I want to make my own story.
"I want people to call me Muhammad Mokaev, I don't want people to call me Khabib two, but of course he's a great example to everybody."
With his octagon debut pencilled in for early 2022, Mokaev has set his sights on becoming the youngest UFC champion. Jon Jones currently holds that record after he won his first light-heavyweight title at the age of 23.
"I want to be champion by the end of 2023, before I turn 24," Mokaev said.
"I have to be realistic. In less than a year, I might get two or three fights, maybe four fights and then I'll be up for the title."
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