Nkuta Replaces Mokaev at 130 Pounds for Rousey Vs Carano
Phumi Nkuta has replaced Muhammad Mokaev against Adriano Moraes at rousey vs carano, and the late switch keeps the bout on the six-fight preliminary card at a catchweight of 130 pounds. Most Valuable promotions said Saturday that Mokaev was out because of visa delays, forcing a reshuffle on MVP’s first MMA event.
Mokaev Out, Nkuta In
Saturday’s change sends Nkuta, who is 11-0, into a matchup that now sits under a card headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. He earned that spot in March, when he captured the A1 Combat flyweight title with a decision win over Namiki Kawahara.
The replacement is a practical fix for MVP as it builds its first MMA show around a marquee top end and a preliminary card that still needs bodies. A late-notice move like this does not just fill space; it preserves the planned structure of the event while keeping a notable name in Moraes on the lineup.
Moraes Returns After ONE
Adriano Moraes enters the bout for the first time since ending his 18-fight run in ONE Championship, and the matchup carries more weight because of what came before. He fought Demetrious Johnson in a trilogy there, and Moraes scored a brutal second-round knockout in their first meeting.
That history gives the 130-pound bout a different edge than a simple replacement fight. Nkuta is unbeaten, Moraes is arriving from a long run in another promotion, and the new pairing now becomes one of the more watchable pieces on the preliminary card rather than a canceled slot.
MVP’s Six-Fight Prelims
The six-fight preliminary card now includes a changed 130-pound bout alongside the rest of MVP’s first MMA event, which is also set to feature Nate Diaz against Mike Perry. For the promotion, the key move was keeping Moraes active and avoiding a blank on the schedule after Mokaev’s withdrawal.
For the card, the message is simple: the fight stayed alive, but the names shifted. Nkuta gets a jump onto a larger stage, Moraes still gets a bout, and the preliminary lineup retains a matchup with actual competitive stakes instead of a hole in the order.
