Yahoo Movies Muhammad Mokaev: Fighting ‘crackhead’ Jake Hadley is a step backward after UFC 286
LONDON – Muhammad Mokaev beat Jafel Filho with a third-round submission Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC 286 at The O2 in London.
Take a look inside the fight with Mokaev, who stayed perfect and got his second straight third-round submission finish.
Jafel Filho vs. Muhammad Mokaev
Result: Muhammad Mokaev def. Jafel Filho via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 4:32
Updated records: Mokaev (9-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC), Filho (14-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Key stat: Mokaev had to fend off two solid submission attempts from Filho, but had more than eight minutes of total control time in the fight.
Mokaev on the fight's key moment
Mar 18, 2023; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Muhammad Mokaev (red gloves) fights Jafel Filho (blue gloves) during UFC 286 at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
“(I didn’t tap to the kneebar) because I know I’m resting next month – Ramadan. In three, four days, I’m going to rest. So I don’t want to rest (after) tapping. I’m not going to sleep for 30 days (if I tapped).”
Mokaev on his future
Mar 18, 2023; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Jafel Filho (blue gloves) reacts during his fight with Muhammad Mokaev (not pictured) during UFC 286 at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
“I hope (future opponents) see this like I’m sometimes in a bad situation (and) they think I’m a weak guy. It’s OK. I hope I won’t find problems to (get) opponents.”
Mokaev on what he wants next
Mar 18, 2023; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Jake Hadley (red gloves) fights Malcolm Gordon (not pictured) during UFC 286 at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
“To be honest, I want to fight tough guys. There are tougher guys (than Jake Hadley) – Matheus Nicolau, there’s (Amir) Albazi, top 10. I want to fight hard guys who knock me down, (and) I get up. I want guys like this. (Hadley is) going backwards – he’s the exact level for me as Malcolm Gordon. I think that he’s is nothing special, but if he enters the top 12, 11, it’s possible. But now, I go back, I beat him, and they say, ‘You beat Jake Hadley. He’s like a crackhead from Birmingham.'”
To hear more from Mokaev, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.
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