Wearing a traditional papakha before all his fights, Muhammad Mokaev, 20, bears a striking resemblance to Khabib Nurmagomedov. But his journey to MMA traveled a much different path than the UFC lightweight champion.
Originally born in Dagestan, Mokaev and his father fled their home following the death of his mother when he was just 12. After arriving in England, Mokaev didn’t speak the language, leading to conflicts with other local children. Fighting, though, could have jeopardized his family’s legal status in the country.
That’s what initially led him to wrestling as an alternative outlet, where he could vent his frustration, channeling a simmering anger inside of him toward something far more constructive.