LAS VEGAS – Islam Duratov had an easy career posing for high fashion magazines, but life as a model didn’t bring him the same joy as fighting in a cage.
Duratov (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is the latest to impress UFC CEO Dana White and matchmakers with a stunning first-round finish at Dana White’s Contender Series 75. He is one of the new fighters in the UFC. The former model is now a member of the UFC. Fighter.
From modeling work for Versace, Hugo Boss, and many others, Duratov has now ditched the flashy costumes for good in favor of a Venum fight kit. It’s exactly where he wants to be.
“(I) worked for all the famous brands,” Duratov said at the post-match press conference when asked about his career as a model. “I participated in a lot of fashion weeks and things like that, but to be honest, I prefer fighting to modeling.”
Despite being an up-and-comer on the local scene, Duratov forgoed a higher salary to fight in front of the cameras, which he admits wasn’t the best financial decision at the time.
“When I was young, I canceled a lot of filming,” Duratov said. “We were having some problems with money and everything. This time, the modeling job really helped my situation. I remember when I canceled a shoot for $5,000. At that time, it was a big amount for me.
“The match that took place on the same day cost around 200 euros or so. …At the last minute, the opponent was injured, so the match was called off. We had more money and everything, and we had to go through that situation 10 times. But to be honest, I love being a fighter and it’s my job.
Being a martial artist and a model comes with obvious risks that can kill your money-making potential. Duratov, 26, is a speedy finisher who has finished in the first round in 10 of his 11 professional fights. All he remembers is showing up on set with a bruised eye after a fight.
“There was a shoot for GQ, and you go to casting for the shoot and they say, ‘What is this? Blue eyes?'” Duratov said. “I said, ‘Yeah. ‘And they go, ‘Oh, that’s cool.’ It’s more authentic. It shows you are a real person. Because in the modeling industry, people already know me and know that I struggle.
“My agency didn’t like it at first, but as time went on, we realized, ‘Okay, this guy’s never going to stop fighting, so we just have to accept it.'”
The Chechen-born fighter has put modeling work on the back burner for now. He will continue to perform in front of the cameras, but as a new UFC welterweight with vicious finishing skills.
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