Islam Dulatov had a successful career in high fashion, posing for top brands like Versace and Hugo Boss…
However, the thrill of modeling never matched the excitement of stepping into the cage.

And now, after a spectacular first-round knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series 75, Dulatov (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has officially made the leap from the runway to the UFC octagon.

Reflecting on his modeling career during a post-fight interview, he explained:

(I worked for) every brand which is like a big name.
I did a lot of fashion weeks and all that stuff, but to be honest, I prefer fighting more than modeling.

Even as a rising star on the regional fight scene, Dulatov often passed up high-paying modeling gigs to pursue his passion for fighting.
A decision that wasn’t always financially sound, to say the least:

I canceled a lot of shootings when I was younger.
We had some problems with money and everything.

This time, modeling was really helping me with my situation. I remember when I canceled a shooting for $5,000.
At this time, that was a lot of money for me.

The fight, which was the same day, was for like 200 euros or something like that…
At the end of the moment, the fight was canceled too because my opponent had an injury.

I had these situations like 10 times, with even more money and everything.
But to be honest, I love to be a fighter and that’s what I do.