Asaf Chopurov's latest victory has once again prompted international media to question why one of the world's brightest bantamweight prospects is still competing outside the UFC.
As reported by İdman.Biz, at UAE Warriors 72 in Abu Dhabi, the 24-year-old Azerbaijani stopped Australia's Reece McLaren just 63 seconds into their title fight, successfully defending his championship belt.
The win carried extra weight given the calibre of his opponent. McLaren had fought 17 times in ONE Championship, challenged for the promotion's bantamweight title and entered the bout on a three-fight winning streak. What was expected to be Chopurov's toughest test, however, lasted little more than a minute.
American outlet MMA Mania reacted by openly questioning why Chopurov has yet to receive a UFC contract. The publication described him as one of the best – and possibly the very best – bantamweight competing outside the world's leading MMA promotion.
The outlet also highlighted Chopurov's impressive record. He now stands at 11-0 as a professional, with 10 finishes – five by knockout and five by submission. MMA Mania further noted that every opponent he has faced has entered with a winning record, an unusually strong level of competition for a young regional fighter.
The publication also pointed to UFC's decision not to sign Chopurov ahead of its June event in Baku. According to MMA Mania, it was surprising that the promotion overlooked one of Azerbaijan's top prospects for its debut event in the country despite adding several new fighters to its roster before the card. Following the win over McLaren, the outlet concluded that Chopurov no longer needs another proving fight and is ready to move directly to the UFC.
That assessment is far from new. Even before his latest victory, American scouting platform MMA Prospect Vault ranked Chopurov among the fighters most ready for the UFC, questioning what else he needed to prove. The analysts placed him at the top of their prospect rankings and argued that his skill set could eventually make him a UFC title contender, praising his wrestling, ground game and significantly improved striking.
Meanwhile, Combat Press has included the Azerbaijani in its list of bantamweights the UFC should sign for two consecutive years. Ahead of the 2026 season, the outlet described Chopurov as one of the best young fighters outside the promotion and labelled him a "blue-chip prospect" with elite long-term potential. It also credited his striking improvements to his work with the team of renowned Azerbaijani kickboxing champion Chingiz Allazov.
His latest knockout has only strengthened that reputation. American MMA analysts broke down the finish in detail, focusing on Chopurov's stance switches. He repeatedly alternated between orthodox and southpaw, forcing McLaren to adjust before catching the Australian with a perfectly timed right hand as he stepped forward. On Reddit's largest MMA community, fans also described Chopurov as UFC-ready.
However, after the victory, Chopurov unexpectedly presented another possible direction for his career.
He once again called out former UFC fighter Muhammad Mokaev, with a UAE Warriors official standing beside him after the fight expressing support for the matchup.
The rivalry between Chopurov and Mokaev dates back to 2024. After defeating Nikita Mikhailov at RCC 20, Chopurov publicly challenged Mokaev shortly after the latter's departure from the UFC.
Later that year, Chopurov revealed that discussions with BRAVE CF over the fight had already taken place. At the time, he expected Mokaev to take another bout first before meeting him the following year.
Negotiations eventually collapsed. In spring 2025, Chopurov said Mokaev had special contractual conditions in BRAVE CF and wanted too many aspects of the event arranged in his favour. The Azerbaijani made it clear he was no longer pursuing the contest, saying: "I have my own path."
That makes his latest challenge particularly intriguing. More than a year later, Chopurov has revived a fight he had previously stopped waiting for.
Mokaev's status has also changed significantly during that period. He left the UFC in the summer of 2024 under highly unusual circumstances. Despite winning all seven of his UFC fights, including a unanimous decision over Manel Kape in his final appearance, the promotion chose not to renew his contract, leaving the organisation undefeated.
Since then, Mokaev has continued his unbeaten run. In June, he stopped Jorge Calvo in under a minute at WOW 31 to improve his professional record to 17-0. Since leaving the UFC, he has won four fights, three of them by stoppage, while continuing to publicly state his ambition of returning to the promotion.
The result is a fascinating scenario: Chopurov and Mokaev are both undefeated fighters standing on the doorstep of the UFC, yet for different reasons remain outside the organisation.
For Chopurov, a victory over Mokaev would provide another compelling argument for earning a UFC contract. Yet following the emphatic win over McLaren, many American analysts are asking a different question: does he even need another fight before joining the UFC?
After knocking out a former ONE Championship title challenger in just 63 seconds, Chopurov has once again become one of the most talked-about names outside the UFC. Two major paths now lie ahead of the Azerbaijani star: the long-awaited move to the world's premier MMA promotion or a blockbuster clash with Mokaev, a rivalry that began in 2024 and has suddenly been reignited.
