Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight standout Muhammad
Mokaev believes upcoming opponent Tim Elliott
is underestimating him las all his previous opponents have
done.
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Currently unbeaten in four Octagon outings, the Dagestan-born
British prospect is slated to clash against the battle-tested
veteran at
UFC 294 on Oct. 21 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Despite
his unbeaten record and dominant showings, Mokaev is still in the
process of proving himself within the Las Vegas-based promotion.
During their back and forth leading up to the booking, Elliott took
a dig at Mokaev’s comparatively nascent UFC career.
“The Punisher” believes Elliott will have a different opinion once
they start trading leather on fight night. While he has respect for
Elliott’s experience, Mokaev is absolutely confident of securing a
finish.
“I think he’s looked down on me,” Mokaev said in an interview with
The National. “He thinks I’m young, overhyped, but my record
speaks for itself. He thinks this, but his body won’t match his
brain. Because, once he gets in the cage and feels my power, my
takedowns, my defense, he will realize he underestimated me. Every
opponent did that.”
Having heard his opponent voice aspirations of a career in Bare
Knuckle Fighting Championship, Mokaev is also sure that the veteran
doesn’t have the hunger to be champion anymore. Meanwhile, Mokaev
himself cannot even entertain the idea of a loss.
“These guys have experience on me, but I have hunger,” Mokaev said.
“I want to be a champion. I know Tim Elliott
doesn’t want to be champion. I listened to one of his interviews;
he said, ‘If I lose this fight, I’ll go to [BKFC]’. I’m like, ‘What
do you mean? If I lose this fight? You will never hear me say that.
You never think this. He’s 36, he’s already tired of this game. But
I don’t underestimate him. But I will beat this guy. I will finish
him.”