Mokaev calls for UFC 301 title fight vs. Pantoja after beating Perez

Muhammad Mokaev believes he's done enough to earn the next UFC flyweight title shot.

Following a win over Alex Perez on Saturday, the undefeated contender said he wants to challenge Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301 on May 4 in Rio de Janeiro.

"Hey, 6-0 in UFC. Four finishes," Mokaev said in his postfight interview. "Listen, UFC 301, 10 weeks from today, I'm ready to fight for the belt. Dana (White), Hunter (Campbell), Mick (Maynard), give me this chance."

Mokaev defeated Perez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The 23-year-old, who was born in Russia and trains out of England, lifted his professional record to 11-0 (1 NC) with the narrow victory.

Pantoja, of Brazil, has said he's eager to defend his title on home soil at UFC 301, but there's no clear-cut No. 1 contender in the 125-pound division.

Brandon Royval defeated former champion Brandon Moreno in the UFC Mexico City main event last weekend to move up to the No. 1 position in the rankings. But Pantoja just beat Royval in his first title defense at UFC 296 last December. The No. 3-ranked Amir Albazi recently withdrew from a fight against Moreno due to a neck injury.

Earlier this week, Pantoja told MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz that a fight against Mokaev would make "total sense" if Mokaev scored a "good win" against Perez.

Mokaev improved his winning streak to seven at Saturday's event. He made his UFC debut in March 2022 and has earned four submissions in six Octagon outings.