Irish prospect Gerard Burns didn’t mince words ahead of his highly anticipated clash with former UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev. The two will face off this Friday for the BRAVE CF Flyweight World Championship — and Burns is promising fireworks.
At just 7-1, Burns has been rising fast through the BRAVE ranks, and now he’s ready to make a statement against the undefeated Dagestani-born Mokaev. But beyond the gold, there’s a personal motivation behind this fight. Burns revealed that Mokaev has been on his radar for years — ever since his early amateur days.
“When I started in MMA, Mokaev was already dominating the IMMAF amateur scene,” Burns told MMA Fighting. “He was winning world titles, smashing everyone. He was a milestone for me. I looked at him like, ‘One day, I’ll get to his level and smash him.’ I believed that from day one.”
Now, years later, the matchup is finally happening — but Burns doesn’t think Mokaev’s reputation is as bulletproof as it once was. The former UFC standout left the promotion earlier this year after going 7-0 inside the Octagon. While Mokaev and UFC CEO Dana White cited “contract issues,” Burns has a much more brutal explanation.
“He’s obviously been sacked from the UFC for being a very boring fighter,” Burns claimed. “He’s a good winner, sure, but he’s never really been in a fight. He slows things down, wrestles, and steals rounds. That’s not happening against me.”
🔥 Burns insists that he’ll drag Mokaev into deep waters and force him into the kind of brawl he’s never experienced before. “I think I’ve got all the tools that are going to be his worst nightmare,” Burns said. “Whether it’s on the feet, in the clinch, or on the ground — I’m ready to hurt him everywhere.”
While Mokaev’s elite wrestling is widely respected, Burns believes his own aggression and pace will break the unbeaten fighter. “He gets hit, gets tired, and then just goes back to wrestling,” he said. “That’s not going to work on me. I’m prepared for everything. Wherever it ends up — he’s in trouble.”
For Burns, the fight is more than a title shot — it’s a validation of his meteoric rise. “I started MMA in 2019 just to get fit,” he said. “Now, six years later, I’m fighting for a BRAVE world title. It’s a massive milestone for me — and just the beginning.”
This Friday, the world will find out if Gerard Burns’ prediction comes true — or if Muhammad Mokaev can prove that being “boring” still wins championships. 👊🔥
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