Preview: Ismagulov vs. Kutateladze
No one talks much about Damir Ismagulov, and he does not yet appear in the Top 15 rankings for the Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight division. That could soon change.
Now 23-1 as a pro, the 31-year-old contender in waiting will put a remarkable 18-fight winning streak on the line when he faces Guram Kutateladze in a UFC on ESPN 37 showcase this Saturday at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Ismagulov joined the UFC roster in 2018 and owns a perfect 4-0 record inside the promotion. He last competed at UFC Fight Night 188, where he took a unanimous decision from Rafael Alves in their three-round pairing on May 22, 2021.
As Ismagulov makes final preparations ahead of his looming battle with Kutateladze, here are five things you might not know about him:
1. Men’s men surround him.
Ismagulov is a protégé of former Bellator MMA middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko, who has compiled a 61-13 record with 43 finishes. He has also trained at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand, and American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida.
2. He was king for more than a day.
The Orenburg, Russia, native remains one of only 10 men who have captured the M-1 Global lightweight crown. Artiom Damkovsky, Jose Figueroa, Daniel Weichel, Musa Khamanaev, Maxim Divnich, Mansour Barnaoui, Alexander Butenko, Abukar Yandiev and Roman Bogatov are the others. Ismagulov laid claim to the championship with a fifth-round technical knockout of Divnich at M-1 Challenge 78 on May 26, 2017, made two successful title defenses and then vacated the throne to sign with the UFC.
3. He has adjusted to life on the road.
Ismagulov has fought in six different countries as a professional mixed martial artist. In addition to the 13 appearances he has made in his native Russia, he has competed in Kazakhstan, Australia, the Czech Republic, China and the United States.
4. Success has snowballed for him.
The former M-1 Global champion finds himself in the midst of one of the sport’s longest current winning streaks. Ismagulov has gone a perfect 18-0 since he suffered his only setback to date: a unanimous decision loss to Ramazan Esenbaev at M-1 Challenge 61 on Sept. 20, 2015. The 17 men he has beaten during his tear—he defeated Raul Tutarauli twice—have 213 wins between them.
5. His skills transcend the cage.
Ismagulov holds the Master of Sport designation in Armeyskiy Rukopashniy Boy—a martial art developed by the Soviet military that incorporates striking and throws similar to combat sambo.