Steve Erceg did not mince his words when addressing Muhammad Mokaev.
The UFC opted not to re-sign Mokaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) after the 24-year-old completed his contract with a win over Manel Kape UFC 304 in July. During fight week, Mokaev was involved in an altercation with Kape.
When asked about Mokaev’s surprise UFC departure last August, former title challenger Erceg (12-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) said he did it to himself. It’s safe to say that almost a year later, Erceg is still not a fan of Mokaev.
“I was shocked that he got cut,” Erceg said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “Obviously being undefeated, you think that’s enough to stay in the UFC, but yeah, I don’t know. I didn’t like the way he interacted with people around him, and he’s messaged me since. I’m thinking more and more that he’s a massive knob, so I don’t care. He seemed like a privileged diva, I guess. Like, ‘Everything has to be done the way I want it. I don’t care if that’s not how it’s done.’ It was surprising because you would think somebody that grew up the way he grew up would be a little bit more humble.
“He seemed like, ‘I’m the guy you work around,’ I don’t know, he just seemed like a douche. He said I was a liar. … After I got knocked out, obviously, he messaged me and asked me if I woke up. Good on him, what a nice guy. Another thing, who gets into a street fight with somebody, but starts it like, ‘Oh, let’s squash the beef, let’s take a photo,’ then king hits him? That’s like the most dog thing I’ve ever heard in my life. What he did to Kape was disgraceful. If you’re going to do it, who cares, but go face-to-face. Do it like a man. It was disgusting. I’d love to slap him around.”
Erceg was knocked out by Kai Kara-France in his past outing at UFC 305, which Mokaev took the opportunity to revel in. Mokaev responded to Erceg’s recent digs at him.
“I won’t say much but Karma will get you for all those lies You already got KO’d, hope Moreno will KO you too Btw when he fought against Mat Schnell I came to you and said all the best to you, when you fought for the belt I tweeted 2-3 times and wish you the best but when I got cut you started lying about me to get attention. Bum!”
I won’t say much but Karma will get you for all those lies
You already got KOd, hope Moreno will KO you tooBtw when he fought against Mat Schnell I came to you and said all the best to you , when you fought for the belt I tweeter 2-3 times and wish you the best but when I got…
— Muhammad Mokaev (@muhammadmokaev) March 25, 2025
Erceg will look to rebound when he takes on former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno (23-8-2 MMA, 11-4-2 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 64 (ESPN2, ESPN+) headliner at Arena CDMX in Mexico City.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.
