Muhammed Mokaev: “I got chosen as the bad guy”

Muhammad Mokaev landed on a Wigan council estate at twelve years old. The Dagestan native made the journey with his father, arriving with no money and no knowledge of the English language. They had fled Dagestan, a region still reeling from the wars that scarred the North Caucasus. His father dreamed of a better life for his son - wanted to send him to Oxford. But Mokaev’s mind was never built for classrooms. He found his mastery on the mats.

Martial arts are his universal language; it’s how he speaks. And people are listening. Mokaev has amassed 1.7 million followers on Instagram alone. He has an undefeated amateur record of 23–0, and a flawless 11–0 run as a professional. His rise through the ranks has been relentless. The UFC picked him up early, billing him as one of the sport’s brightest prospects. His departure from the organisation was widely contested - questioned, even - given his undefeated record. But now he’s back, and BRAVEr than ever, stepping into the cage once again to face Gerard “The Animal” Burns in Bahrain. It’s his first title fight. If history is any guide, Mokaev’s record will stay spotless.

We sat down to talk about his journey from Dagestan to Wigan, his upcoming fight in Bahrain, and the father who remains the most important person in his life.

SquareMile: The move your family made from Dagestan to the UK - what was the context for that move? Why did your dad want to bring you here?

Muhammed Mokaev: For a better life, to change my life. My dad is a building engineer. It was his dream to send me to Oxford, this big university. In my head, I was like ‘I don’t even speak English - what is he talking about?’ I don’t care about this university. I was never into education. I did business studies. I only did that because I failed my masters in English and had no other choice. I used to copy everyone’s work. I just wanted to move. I cannot sit and listen like that. I needed to train.

SM: How long until you moved to England that you started in wrestling in Wigan? Was it immediate?

MM: It was really difficult when I arrived. I got involved in some school fights and stuff like this. My PE teacher saved me from getting kicked out of school. He knew I was a sports enthusiast. I did football, rugby, I actually thrwe the javelin. I told him I wanted to do every sport that exists. I just wanted to compete. I knew if I got kicked out, I’d go somewhere else where bad behavior is allowed and end up with bad people and maybe end up in jail or something. He made sure that didn’t happen.

Dave William is the owner of Wigan Athletics. He built Wigan Youth Zone in 2013. I can’t remember how many millions they spent on it, but it was 50 p for entry. They had wrestling, boxing, football pitches, you can go into the centre and do any sport you want. I’d do a boxing session, then wrestling, and they’d have people sparring between the two disciplines.
My PE teacher picked me up and took me to that gym.

SM: The beginning of MMA! How old were you?

MM: I was 13 years old.

Getty Images

Getty Images

SM: Okay so your getting into a lot of fights at school. At that time in your life, did you feel like you were a really angry kid?

MM: Not at all. When I first arrived, the traditions here were very different. In Dagestan, for example, any swearing or anything you take very personal. You have to protect your families name. But in the UK, swearing and bullying can be a joke and I didn’t understand these things. I’d react to bullies and smash them. I’d take them down, body shots, all this stuff. But then I ended up becoming really good friends with them later on. One thing I can say: I was never a bully. I never took advantage of my strength.

SM: Wow. So it was the cultural difference that no one taught you and you were just trying to stand up for your faith and background and people were taking the piss and you didn’t know.

MM: Yes as soon as I started understanding I was looking back like, ‘Oh my god I looked so stupid. Why I fight these guys?’ But now I talk to them stil to this day. I’m really happy where I ended up. There are a lot of kids that ended up in knife crime. I’m glad I came young and started in school. School was my structure for integration. The refugee camps should be teaching people how to live here, how to manage life, and how to pay bills. They never taught us. So it’s whoever survives survives. Some go to Oxford, some go to jail. That’s how life works.

SM: When you found the sports centre, did you feel like you gained a non-verbal language and suddenly had a way to connect with the people around you?

MM: Sport is an international language. My coach was training in the area I was born. He came from Wigan, so he knew the culture I was born into and what the UK was. He explained everything to me, how life here works. That’s what schools are missing. They are missing those examples. If a kid comes from Africa, you need someone from his country to explain things to him.

SM: What do you think motivates you to fight? Why do you keep coming back to it?

MM: My first motivation was to make money for my school uniform when I was 15 years old. Then my second motivation was to get UK travel documents and travel internationally. Then it was to prove that a refugee coming from nothing could become the best in the world. That was my motivation, and to stay away from the streets. To not waste my energy.

SM: Is that still your motivation today?

MM: Today, my motivation is to stay away from all bad circles. The sport helps me to surround myself with good people, competitors, and investors. I’m investing a lot right now, in hotels and apartments and bitcoin. I like to meet people. I like to meet millionaires and talk to them about what they do. Some people think I’m crazy for my investments. They say I’m crazy, but people don’t want to take risks.

SM: Have you always been a risk-taker or did you develop that?

MM: I developed it. I take my own risks .I make my own decisions. I don’t have this manager to tell me to do things. I make my own. Maybe I make a mistake, and then I learn about myself as a man. We all make mistakes, especially when we are young. Bulletproof mindset now rather than later.

SM: What role does fear play in your fight process? Do you still feel fear?

MM: If I said no - it wouldn’t be the truth. You are not a normal human being if you don’t feel anything before you walk out. One time, I thought I was too confident, thought I was the best, and I came up against not a high-level competitor, and I got in trouble because of my ego. I was 19 years old then. I never made that mistake again.

SM: I’ve heard you say the media likes to paint you as this bad guy. Why do you think that is?

MM: I think from reputation of high up fighters in the UFC. They can build you high and they can break you. You have the good guy and the bad guy. I got chosen as the bad guy.

SM: I understand. You were cast in a role. It’s the marketing of fighting.

MM: Out of all 38 fights, the only rivalry fight I had was the last one I had in the UFC. Everyone else I still chat to. I’m close with everyone.

SM: What would you like your media image to be? What do you want people to understand about you?

MM: People believe what they want to believe no matter what. Good things or bad. If they want to hear bad things about me, they will hear the bad. What matters is your team. The more I’m in this sport, the more that’s all I think about. Who I surround myself with. Today you’re a good fighter. Tomorrow you're a bad fighter. Next day there’s another fighter. You cannot take anybody personally.

SM: Who would you say the most important person in your life is right now?

MM: My father. He is very important to me. I can ask him any advice. He never told me, ‘you're a good fighter’ or ‘you're doing good in life.’ He only ever points out the things I do wrong. I don’t like yes-men. Anyone who’s like that on my team, I remove right away.

SM: So he’s extremely honest with you?

MM: He tells me straight away. I used to get upset about this but if someone does not tell me honest things, how do I reflect on myself? People used to tell me to do this and do that, and then I’d get in trouble and they’d disappear. That’s the mistake I made. I still have my friends from school because they knew me before the hype. They don’t care about social media. Those are the people I listen to.

SM: Does your dad come to your fights?

MM: He doesn’t like to fly. He’s old and I don’t like him to travel too much. He only came once or twice to the UFC. He puts his TV on and watches from afar.

SM: Did that ever upset you that he doesn’t come in person?

MM: Fathers should be like this with their son. They should be strict. I’d bring my father medals I won, and he’d tell me, ‘That’s not an Olympic Medal.’ I always wanted to prove I can do better.

SM: Did that communication style ever hurt you?

MM: It used to upset me. I was thinking I just got a medal and everyone around me was happy, but my father isn’t happy. But now years later I understand it. He was motivating me. If he was happy when I brought him my medals, then I couldn’t make him even happier. I would have stayed at that level. But because of him, I pushed further.

SM: You’re now stepping into your first major title fight against Gerard “The Animal” Burns in Bahrain - what does this fight mean to you and how do you think it ends?

MM: This is my 14th fight in Bahrain which is crazy. I feel like I’m fighting in my backyard. It’s a big step up for me to fight 5 rounds, and fight for the belt. Dana said I can go somewhere else. It’s not somewhere else. BRAVE is one of the best fight organisations in the world. I will show that I am a world champion.

SM: Last question: what’s something that nobody knows about you?

MM: When I wake up in the morning, I check the Bitcoin price.

Muhammad Mokaev returns to Bahrain on December 7 for his first title fight at BRAVE CF 100 against Gerard “The Animal” Burns.