Muhammad Mokaev undergoes shoulder surgery; hopeful for UFC 286 return

Muhammad Mokaev sustained an injury that may compromise his desire to compete at UFC London.Mokaev (8-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has been vying for a spot on the UFC 286 card, which takes place March 18 at The O2 in London, but a dislocated right shoulder could derail his aspirations.

Despite the necessity for surgery, Mokaev seemed to be hoping for a speedy recovery. Mokaev's first two octagon fights were in London. He rapidly submitted Cody Durden in March, then easily defeated Charles Johnson in July. In October, he finished the year by submitting Malcolm Gordon at UFC 280.

The unbeaten 22-year-old hopes to become the UFC's youngest champion, which explains his desire to keep active. However, in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Mokaev stated that he is still having difficulty finding opponents and showed desire in a fight with top-ten ranked flyweight Amir Albazi.