LAS VEGAS – Islam Dulatov had a simple profession posing for top trend magazines, however the modeling life didn’t deliver him the identical pleasure as preventing inside a cage.
Dulatov (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is among the newest UFC newcomers after impressing UFC CEO Dana White and the matchmakers with a spectacular first-round end at Dana White’s Contender Collection 75. Now, the previous mannequin is a UFC fighter.
From modeling for Versace, Hugo Boss, and lots of others, Dulatov has now totally traded in his fancy garments for a Venum battle package, and it’s exactly the place he desires to be.
“(I labored for) each model which is sort of a large title,” Dulatov mentioned at a post-fight information convention when requested about his modeling profession. “I did plenty of trend weeks and all that stuff, however to be sincere, I choose preventing greater than modeling.”
Whilst an up-and-comer on the regional scene, Dulatov handed up greater paychecks to be in entrance of the digicam to battle, which he admits was not the very best monetary choice on the time.
“I canceled plenty of shootings after I was youthful,” Dulatov mentioned. “We had some issues with cash and all the things. This time, modeling was actually serving to me with my state of affairs. I keep in mind after I canceled a capturing for $5,000. At the moment, that was some huge cash for me.
“The battle, which was the identical day, was for like 200 euros or one thing like that. … On the finish of the second, the battle was canceled too as a result of my opponent had an harm. I had these conditions like 10 instances, with much more cash and all the things. However to be sincere, I like to be a fighter and that’s what I do.”
Being a fighter and a mannequin comes with the apparent danger of messing up the money-maker. Dulatov, 26, is a quick finisher who has ended 10 of his 11 professional fights within the first spherical. He solely recalled one explicit occasion the place he confirmed as much as a shoot after a battle with a bruised eye.
“I had a capturing for GQ, and after I go to the shoot casting, they go, ‘What is that this? Blue eye?’” Dulatov mentioned. “I’m going, ‘Yeah.’ They are saying, ‘Oh, it’s cool. It’s extra genuine. It reveals what you actually are.’ As a result of within the mannequin enterprise, the individuals already all know me, they know that I do preventing.
“My company, in the beginning, they was hating it, however with time they noticed, ‘OK, this man won’t ever cease preventing, so now we have to just accept it.’”
The Chechnya-born fighter has put modeling on the again burner for now. He’ll nonetheless carry out in entrance of the digicam, however as a brand new UFC welterweight with vicious ending expertise.
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