Wigan's Muhammad Mokaev hits out at Paddy 'The Baddy' Pimblett

Mokaev extended his unbeaten run at the weekend on the big London supercard, thanks to a unanimous points decision over American Charles Johnson.

But it was afterwards when the 21-year-old, who was born in Dagestan but arrived in Wigan nine years ago as a refugee, made just as big a splash.

“There’s so many guys that don’t get a lot of media attention that should get it,” Mokaev said. “Example, Arnold Allen. It’s Leon Edwards. It’s (fellow Wiganer) Tom Aspinall. Nathaniel Wood. These guys are amazing, good examples. I don’t disrespect the media, but you give a bulls*** guy like Paddy Pimblett attention.

“These guys never reach the top 15. Like, realistically, he’ll never reach it. I don’t think he’s a great role model for young guys.

"Please follow Tom Aspinall, Arnold Allen, Leon Edwards, real men inside the cage and outside the cage.

"I’m proud to be on the same card as a man like Tom Aspinall.”

Mokaev was speaking just before Pimblett defeated Jordan Leavitt via a second-round submission on the main card.

He was less than impressed by the Liverpudlian's antics the previous day, when Pimblett bared his backside to the media following suggestions he may not make the weight.

“This guy pulls his pants down,” Mokaev added. “A man doesn’t do this. Women don’t do this stuff. Pulls his pants down, get fat, drink beer, like animal.

"My first refugee centre was in Liverpool, I know real Scouse people, they don’t do stuff like this. This guy is just too much.

"I’m not a hater, I just want to see a newer generation follow real men. If you talk about UK guys, there’s Tom Aspinall. There’s Arnold Allen. Leon Edwards. Men of the world, of what they’re doing, they will back you up.

“Not this guy...walk behind security when he sees a camera then he’s like a real guy, but when there’s no camera he’s hiding.

"I see this. I know this energy. I’m not some kid like, ‘Everybody push me to the cage, go fight please.’ I grew up crazy too.”

Mokaev also made a point of apologising for a couple of his own recent mistakes, namely posting a picture on social media with an AK-47 rifle, as well as flicking opponent Johnson a middle finger at the pre-fight weigh-in.

“My fight was a bit quiet, so I posted a picture with an AK-47 when I was in Dagestan,” Mokaev explained.

"I was sitting in my friend’s car and there was an AK-47, I said let me take a picture. So I took a picture, I posted it.

"I’m against all this stuff, I’m not a bad boy. I’m just a normal guy from Wigan, I grew up there, but from Dagestan. Just normal, I don’t want to threaten anyone.

“I told Charles after my fight, I want to apologize about putting a finger up at the weigh-ins.

"This is not my personality. I got a little bit emotional because I had a crazy week with this bulls*** politician in Russia. He tried to call me a traitor for lifting the UK flag.

"A little bit of this week my head was off the fight.”