Muhammad Mokaev vs. Alex Perez is a big part of the UFC Saudi Arabia fight card. This flyweight bout pits an undefeated Dagestanian fighter with a tough, and experienced opponent. So here’s a closer look at both competitors, their credentials, and the possible outcome of the fight.
Muhammad Mokaev’s profile
This man needs no introduction to MMA fans around the world. “The Punisher” has an unblemished 10 – 0, 1 NC professional MMA record. However, he also was unbeaten on the amateur circuit, where he stacked up an impressive 23 – 0 record and held various titles. One just can’t argue with such impressive credentials. Mokaev made his professional MMA debut back in August 2020 – only five months after his last amateur fight.
He shared his time in both BRAVE CF and Celtic Gladiators promotions, where he remained unbeaten till the end of this chapter of his career. The single NC in question took place at BRAVE CF 51, where Mokaev accidentally kicked his opponent, Ibragim Navruzov, in the groin.
After only two years as a professional fighter, Mokaev made his UFC debut at Fight Night 204. He continued his winning ways by submitting Cody Durden. After another win over Charles Johnson, the Dagestani fighter made his PPV debut at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. There he added another submission win to his resume, by armbaring Malcolm Gordon. After choking out Jafel Filho at UFC 286, “The Punisher” made his return to the Middle East. At UFC 294 he arm-triangled Tim Elliott.
Alex Perez’s profile
Unlike his opponent, Perez has no amateur experience. However, he began his career back in 2011, when the amateur circuit had just slowly begun to shape up. Perez harnessed his skill on the American, regional circuit and has fought mainly for Tachi PF, a promotion based in California. During his regional stint, Perez became the TPF Flyweight champion, being his only title to this day.
Back in August of 2017, with six years of experience as a pro, Perez took part in the Dana White Contender Series. He secured his UFC contract by submitting Kevin Gray. The California native made his UFC debut just four months later at Fight Night 123, where he submitted Carls John de Tomas. After that, he won five out of six of his next fights. A three-fight winning streak granted him a UFF flyweight title fight against Deiveson Figueiredo. The two met at UFC 255 with Perez being choked out by the champion in the very first round. Unfortunately for him, his next fight against Alexandre Pantoja also ended with a first-round submission loss.
Muhammad Mokaev vs. Alex Perez – fight breakdown of their fight at UFC Saudi Arabia
So how could their encounter at UFC Saudi Arabia play out? Mokaev has a strong wrestling and grappling base. So it comes as no surprise that he will be looking to secure a takedown and take the fight to the ground. If “The Punisher” succeeds, he will be looking to secure full control of Perez’s body. Probably he will choose to work from side guard, to wait for an opportunity to take his opponent’s back. To shut off all of this, Perez should keep his distance and punish Mokaev with straight punches, and low kicks to take his legs’ power. He also should try to push the pace with boxing, as the Dagestan fighter prefers to avoid any heated exchanges. “The Punisher” is better known for striking from a distance and putting his belief in his grappling skills. If Mokaev secures a takedown, Perez should instantly search for a way to return to his feet.
Californian’s fight record clearly shows, that he’s vulnerable to being submitted, and Muhammad made a name for himself by submitting opponents.
Looking at both fighters’ fight records it’s easy to see why this fight could end during the first five minutes. Muhammad Mokaev can submit people quickly, and Perez exactly lost fights in this way even back in his regional MMA days.
The climate could be another factor, as Mokaev is familiar with the Middle East’s weather and never lost a fight there. UFC Saudi Arabia will be the first event for Perez, where hi fights in this region. One could doubt that California’s heat is enough to get used to weather conditions in the Middle East.
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