Muhammad Mokaev, Cody Durden feud over elevator encounter: ‘You still alive?’

Muhammad Mokaev and Cody Durden could start UFC London with a bang.

The flyweight matchup is expected to kick off the preliminary portion of Saturday’s card and there is plenty of bad blood between the two fighters dating back to this past November when Mokaev condemned racist remarks Durden made following a win over China’s Aori Qileng. Mokaev stated that he wanted to “smash” Durden, and an official bout was drawn.

At Wednesday’s UFC London Media day, Mokaev discussed the feud and told a story about running into Durden at an elevator during fight week.

“I was in a lift with my coach and I was going upstairs,” Mokaev said. “[Durden] opened a lift. I believe he was also going upstairs. I asked him if he was still alive and he said hello. That’s a bad sign.

” I would like to go and have a look. I’m not gonna eat him. I just said, ‘Stay in touch with the U.S. embassy after the fight so you can get off straight away.'”

Durden discredited Mokaev’s story via Twitter.

“Full text by s ***!” Durden. You said, “Hello, Are you still alive?” I answered, “Yeah, momf And then the elevator doors closes. I was laughing so hard at all the s*** that you said about me being slapped lol. My coaches don’t need to accompany me .

Mokaev replied to Durden :

.

“Full, if s ***?” Mokaev authored. “Why did you not walk up the lift, little crackhead ?

Mokaev brings a 5-0 (1 NC) record into his UFC debut when he and Durden (12-3-1) settle their beef on Saturday.

The UFC fighter hotel has apparently seen plenty of action already as lightweights Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett were also involved in an altercation, which was caught on video and posted by Topuria. Pimblett dismissed the incident during Wednesday’s media conference, calling Topuria “Mr. Hand Sanitizer” and asking who he was.