Preview: UFC Fight Night 238 ‘Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev’

Flyweights

#8 FLW | Muhammad Mokaev (11-0, 5-0 UFC) vs. #7 FLW | Alex Perez (24-7, 6-3 UFC)

ODDS: Mokaev (-360), Perez (+285)

The UFC’s flyweight division is as strong as ever, and the rise of Mokaev is an interesting subplot. The 23-year-old came to the UFC with a rare level of hype, owing to a decorated amateur career that has given him an impressive level of poise for such a young fighter. Mokaev’s comfort in the cage is what immediately stands out about “The Punisher,” as he has proven his ability to dedicate himself to the grind and overcome adversity. As a strong but not elite athlete who might have yet to fully grow into his frame, Mokaev can run himself into trouble with his wrestling-heavy style but has kept pushing through and showed a knack for finding a late finish to cap things off. After a few fights where Mokaev was the clear favorite, his October bout against divisional stalwart Tim Elliott figured to be the first big test of his career; and while Mokaev was indeed tested, it was another showing where he kept fighting through adversity and finished a grimy win.

Perez is the right level of next test for Mokaev, though there is some worry that this crossroads fight might not actually happen. Perez’s career seems to be cursed, as he has been scheduled for 10 fights since losing to Deiveson Figueiredo in 2020 but only made it to the cage one time. Prior to his title challenge against Figueiredo, Perez marched up the ranks with a pressure game built around powerful striking and wrestling, leveraging his stout frame to bully his opponents. However, he lasted less than two minutes against an elite athlete in Figueiredo, and his lone fight since—a 91-second loss to current champ Alexandre Pantoja—has raised some worries that Perez can fold when he is unable to play the bully. He reads as a more powerful athlete than Mokaev, so he should be able to find some early success, but this does look like another fight where the upstart can follow his usual blueprint. Even if he does not always win the wrestling exchanges early on, Mokaev should be able to drag this into becoming a tough fight, and despite his youth, he is the much more proven fighter when things get into deeper waters. The pick is Mokaev via third-round submission.

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Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev
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The Prelims