Phumi Nkuta Takes Short Notice Fight on Rousey Card — Mma Fights Tonight

Phumi Nkuta jumped into mma fights tonight after Muhammad Mokaev could not secure a visa in time to travel to the United States for the upcoming Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card. Nkuta said yes to the replacement spot and now gets a shot at Adriano Moraes on short notice.

Nkuta Grabs the Open Spot

“You don’t got to ask me twice,” Nkuta said when offered the fight. He added, “I’ve been itching for a fight for a little bit.”

The 11-0 fighter said he wanted Moraes’ name on his record. “This is a guy that beat ‘Mighty Mouse’ [Demetrious Johnson]. I want that name on my record. So of course, I had to say yes,” he said.

Mokaev’s Visa Problem

The opening came because Mokaev could not secure a visa in time for the event. That pushed Nkuta into a matchup he had not planned for, but one he had already prepared for in a different way: he said he had been training in the gym and sparring before the offer arrived.

Nkuta has long been considered one of the stronger prospects outside the UFC, and the move gives him a chance to carry that momentum onto one of the year’s most talked about cards. The fight also lands in the 125-pound division, where he said his options have been limited.

Most Valuable Promotions Payout

The financial side is as important as the opponent. Nkuta said the money for this fight would be life-changing, and the article said Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions uses a flat wage structure instead of show-and-win pay.

Nkuta also pointed to how long he had waited for a major chance. “I think if I was younger then I might be frustrated but for me it wasn’t really that frustrating because I love my life,” he said, after going about one month to one and a half months since his last fight.

For Nkuta, the replacement is more than a late booking. It puts an 11-0 record, a former layoff, and a major payday into the same fight week, with Moraes now the name in front of him on May 30.