Askar Mozharov has been a part of two major North American promotions since the start of 2021, but has yet to compete for one.
Largely a mystery to fans paying attention, Mozharov (21-12 MMA, 0-0 UFC) partook Wednesday in his first fight-related press event, since a ceremonial weigh-in for PFL in 2021 (for a fight against Vinny Maghalaes that was canceled less than 24 hours later).
There hasn’t been much English-language coverage or story-telling of Mozharov’s career to date, but two facts were highlighted on social media this fight week as fans familiarized themselves with the closest helping of UFC action upcoming.
For one, Mozharov has some colorful chest tattoos, very reminiscent of a certain Irish former UFC double champion. Both Mozharov and Conor McGregor sport gorillas on their chest, so the resemblance is there. The comparisons have crossed cultures, so much so Mozharov broke his rhythm of answering questions in Russian at his pre-fight news conference.
“No, this is not to Conor McGregor,” Mozharov said, surprising many reporters in the room that he spoke English after five minutes of Russian translations. “Everybody tells me this. Guys, this is the same style, old school. But this is another picture, OK? … Actually, in my country, people know me (as) ‘Ukrainian Conor McGregor’. I like Conor, but I’m Askar.”
Mozharov also addressed a tad of fight week drama, though he seemed to make less ado about it than MMA Twitter. Tuesday, news surfaced Mozharov’s record was adjusted on both of the two leading MMA databases.
“UFC signee Askar Mozharov’s record has been significantly revised, as new information has come to light regarding several wins and losses,” Tapology site manager Steven Kelliher wrote. “… He has been updated from 25-7 to 21-11, pending further review.”
UFC signee Askar Mozharov's record has been significantly revised, as new information has come to light regarding several wins and losses. https://t.co/RJ263dYwl3
— Steven Kelliher (@Steven_Kelliher) May 31, 2022
Sherdog associate editor Jay Pettry, who assists with his site’s “Fight Finder”, detailed in a story, shortly after Kelliher’s tweet, a long and confusing history of messages sent by Mozharov’s circle to falsify his record.
Though he didn’t address claims of intentional deception, Mozharov said he was unconcerned by the change despite all of the hubbub. Mozharov tacked up the confusion to past fights in China and bouts he thought were amateur.
“I spent so much time since the age of 18 fighting professional fights and pretty much fighting everyone that I could,” Mozharov said. “I don’t build my record or whatever, but a lot of the fights I had were in China. Those organizations don’t add fights after, so you have to really pursue it to make sure that they add the fights that you had and make sure that you have it on record. This is actually a situation that, in the last seven, eight years, no one mentioned anything. No one said anything. Now that I get up to the biggest promotion, to the UFC, I guess someone or one of the admins wanted to show themself. It’s a little bit weird, right?
“Aside from that, it’s just some situations that I had basically when I was starting this career. I wasn’t even fighting MMA and I took some semi-pro fights. I didn’t know that they were going to be counted toward my record. That was under my name before. When I had a stepfather, I changed my first name. I changed my last name. So there was a little bit of a mix-up with that, but I just focused on the fights and nothing about these records. They don’t really mean much.”
Regardless of what his legitimate record is, Mozharov will look to add one more in the win column when he fights Fortis MMA light heavyweight Alonzo Menifield (11-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) in a three-round main card bout Saturday at the UFC Apex.
