Manel Kape claims Muhammad Mokaev tapped from his guillotine choke at UFC 304
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Manel Kape is calling foul on his loss to Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304.
While an argument could be made that Kape potentially deserved a decision win over Mokaev in a largely uneventful three-round fight, his beef isn’t with the judges, but rather a submission he applied while defending a takedown. In a pair of videos posted to Twitter on Monday, Kape showed off his submission attempt while claiming that Mokaev tapped out but the referee didn’t call it.
“You can clearly see the moment when Mokaev tap,” Kape wrote. “Before the fight we were warned by the same referee that any manipulation of tap or dirty games the judge would end the fight or have removed the point. But?? #taporfaketapitstap”
You can clearly see the moment when Mokaev Tap ✋ .
Before the fight we were warned by the same referee that any manipulation of tap or dirty games the judge would end the fight or have removed the point . But ?? #taporfaketapitstap ✋ pic.twitter.com/uW1XS72a2C
— マネル・ケイプ موسى Manel Kape (@ManelKape) July 29, 2024
Mokaev eventually escaped the position and maintained control from the top.
The video evidence seems inconclusive, but Kape may have a better argument that Mokaev deserved to have a point deducted from another takedown attempt earlier in the fight.
After Mokaev wrestled Kape to the ground, he grabbed onto the shorts to secure the position and that caused referee Mike Beltran to pause the action. Beltran admonished Mokaev for the move and took away the position, but he didn’t penalize the 23-year-old fighter for the foul.
In the end, Mokaev secured a unanimous decision win to move to 7-0 in the UFC.
Chances are Kape won’t ever get a chance to avenge that loss either, as UFC officials announced that Mokaev won’t be re-signed to the roster following the bout. UFC 304 served as the final bout on Mokaev’s contract, and UFC CEO Dana White made it clear after the event that the company had no interest in bringing Mokaev back.
Mokaev’s UFC exit was preceded by an ugly week in Manchester after the undefeated 23-year-old openly admitted to asking Kape for a photo together before unleashing a sucker-punch that led to a brawl in the host hotel ahead of UFC 304.
