It may have been set for some time, but highly touted flyweight Muhammad Mokaev has been officially confirmed for UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi.
The undefeated Dagestan-born prospect, who represents the UK, will take on Canada’s Malcolm Gordon at Etihad Arena on October 22. The card, one of the most anticipated of the year, features two world title bouts and is headlined by a clash between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev for the vacant lightweight crown.
Mokaev, 22, boasts a 7-0 professional record and sits at 2-0 in the UFC since debuting in the promotion in March. Most recently, in July, he defeated veteran Charles Johnson by unanimous decision at O2 Arena in London.
Mokaev, who arrived in the UK aged 12 as a refugee, was unbeaten as an amateur, amassing a 23-0 record.
Gordon, meanwhile, is 14-5 as a pro and rides a two-fight win streak. He debuted in the UFC during the inaugural Fight Island in Abu Dhabi in July 2020, and has gone on to compete in the promotion four times.
Gordon, 32, last fought in February, where he defeated Denys Bondar by first-round TKO.
UFC 280 is part of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, which runs from October 17-23. Alongside the twin title bouts – bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling takes on former belt-holder TJ Dillashaw - the card comprises several other marquee match-ups, including a bantamweight bout between ex-champion Petr Yan and the hugely talented Sean O’Malley.
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
Scoreline
UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia
UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’
Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’
Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)
