UFC London: Watch ex-refugee Muhammad Mokaev win UFC debut with an incredible 58-second submission victory
MUHAMMAD MOKAEV won his eagerly-anticipated UFC debut in stunning fashion at London’s O2 Arena.
The former refugee – who came to the UK at the age of 12 from Russia – kicked off the promotion’s long-awaited return to London in front of a packed crowd.
But fight fans eager to see The Punisher’s skillset only got a brief glimpse of him as he finished American Cody Durden in 58 seconds.
The adopted Manc blew the roof off the arena with a quick guillotine after dropping Durden with a huge knee.
And seconds after forcing American Durden to submit to his will, Mokaev, 21, sent a message to UFC president Dana White.
To the delight of the crowd, he said: “Uncle Dana, 50Gs’ baby.”
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Mokaev then joked about sending Durden back to the American Embassy – a reference to Durden’s controversial post-fight interview after beating Qileng Aori last November.
Prior to his stunning debut, Mokaev revealed to SunSport that he hopes his incredible journey to the UFC will inspire his fellow refugees.
The flyweight prospect told SunSport: “I want my story to inspire people, especially coming from the refugee background.
“I’ve been around these people for a long time, I’ve been a refugee for ten years now.
“That’s why I was so happy about getting my British passport, I couldn’t travel normally.
“People talk about refugees and say, ‘They come to this country and they don’t have families and they’re happy with what the Government gives them.’
“But to come to the country, you have to put yourself on the map so as not to be put in the same circle as all refugees.
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“You have to stand out and believe in your skills. It doesn’t matter if you know English or not, you can build something here.
“If you could do it in your own country, you can do it here too. That’s what I want to prove and make motivation for those people.”