# Islam Dulatov (Ислам Дулатов)
**Islam Dulatov** (born 1998) is a German-based professional mixed martial artist from Chechnya who competes in the welterweight division of the [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) (UFC), where he fights under the nickname "The Ripper". Before his fighting career he worked as an international fashion model for brands including Versace, Prada, and Gucci.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) • [2](https://www.fightbookmma.com/from-the-runway-to-the-ufc-cage-the-extraordinary-story-of-islam-dulatov/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1998; place of birth listed as Russia (Chechnya)[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) • [3](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Islam%20Dulatov/165683/) |
| Division / record | Welterweight; 12-1-0 (W-L-D), professional since 7 September 2019[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) • [3](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Islam%20Dulatov/165683/) |
| Finishing rate | 12-fight win streak with every win by stoppage, including 11 first-round finishes[4](https://www.ufc.com/news/standouts-from-dana-whites-contender-series-season-8) |
| Path to the UFC | Knocked out Vanilto Antunes at 2:44 of round 1 on Dana White's Contender Series, season 8, week 9 (8 October 2024), earning a contract[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) |
| UFC debut | Knocked out Adam Fugitt at 4:06 of round 1 at UFC 318, New Orleans, 19 July 2025[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) |
| Physical profile | 6 ft 3 in tall with a 75-inch reach[5](https://www.rotowire.com/mma/player/islam-dulatov-2622) |
| Modeling career | Exclusive contract with Versace; named by British Vogue as one of the top 10 male models of 2018[6](https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/combat-sports/2026/07/23/from-the-catwalk-to-the-cage-versace-model-turned-ufc-fighter-islam-dulatov-set-for-abu-dhabi-debut/) |
## Early life
Dulatov was born in Chechnya and came to Germany with his family as a refugee in 2007 because of the war, growing up in Germany.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) The family settled in [Düsseldorf](https://www.edgepedia.org/dusseldorf), where the Dulatov brothers combined combat sports with modeling careers.[7](https://amp.dw.com/en/germany-how-four-chechen-brothers-combine-modeling-and-martial-arts/a-51087428) He has a large family; his UFC profile states he has seven brothers, and his brother Tamerlan has also pursued professional MMA.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) • [8](https://mmatown.com/videos/islam-dulatov-from-dwcs-knockout-to-ufc-prospect-or-next-level-mug9nzyf)
He started with boxing in Germany at 14 years of age and began MMA at 18. As an amateur he was a three-time national champion in amateur boxing and the amateur German MMA champion, and he was ranked number 1 in two divisions in MMA in Europe.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov)
## Modeling career
Dulatov followed his oldest brother Djibril into modeling after Djibril was discovered by a fashion agency. Islam signed an exclusive contract with Versace and was named by British Vogue as one of the top 10 male models of 2018; he has also modeled for Prada and Gucci.[6](https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/combat-sports/2026/07/23/from-the-catwalk-to-the-cage-versace-model-turned-ufc-fighter-islam-dulatov-set-for-abu-dhabi-debut/) • [2](https://www.fightbookmma.com/from-the-runway-to-the-ufc-cage-the-extraordinary-story-of-islam-dulatov/) He has been open about the limits of the work, saying in a 2025 interview that "sometimes the clothes are s--t" at his fashion shows.[9](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/news/Islam-Dulatov-236167)
## Mixed martial arts career
Dulatov turned professional in 2019 and lost his debut, a unanimous decision to Gjoni Palokaj at GMC 21 on 7 September 2019.[3](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Islam%20Dulatov/165683/) He has not lost since, and his UFC profile describes a 12-fight win streak built entirely on stoppages: seven wins by knockout and five by submission (a guillotine, an arm triangle, a Brabo choke, and two rear-naked chokes), with 11 first-round finishes and one second-round finish. Six of his wins ended in under a minute, at 0:31, 0:34, 0:44, 0:46, 0:48, and 0:53.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) Some outlets report his record as eight knockouts and four submissions; the UFC's own profile gives seven and five.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) • [10](https://fightsplit.com/news/islam-dulatov-out-of-ufc-abu-dhabi)
He competed in European organizations early on, including the German MMA Championship, Sparta Championship Fighting, Oktagon MMA, and BRAVE Combat Federation, amassing a 10-1 record before reaching the UFC.[3](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Islam%20Dulatov/165683/) • [2](https://www.fightbookmma.com/from-the-runway-to-the-ufc-cage-the-extraordinary-story-of-islam-dulatov/) He is a former NFC lightweight champion.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov)
**Contender Series and UFC debut.** On 8 October 2024, in week 9 of [Dana White's Contender Series season 8](https://www.edgepedia.org/dana-whites-contender-series-season-8), Dulatov knocked out Brazil's Vanilto Antunes at 2:44 of the first round and earned a UFC contract; he had predicted a knockout that would win him the deal.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) • [11](https://www.ufc.com/news/all-eyes-on-islam-dulatov-ufc-318) His promotional debut came at UFC 318 in New Orleans on 19 July 2025, where he knocked out the veteran Adam Fugitt at 4:06 of the first round with a straight right hand, a finish he had forecast beforehand.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) • [12](https://www.ufc.com/news/the-reintroduction-of-islam-dulatov-ufc-abu-dhabi)
**Scheduled return.** Dulatov was booked against Wellington Turman on the main card of [UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-fight-night-ankalaev-vs-guskov) in [Abu Dhabi](https://www.edgepedia.org/abu-dhabi) on 25 July 2026, which would have been his first main-card appearance and his first fight in over a year.[6](https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/combat-sports/2026/07/23/from-the-catwalk-to-the-cage-versace-model-turned-ufc-fighter-islam-dulatov-set-for-abu-dhabi-debut/) • [5](https://www.rotowire.com/mma/player/islam-dulatov-2622) He had been away from competition for the preceding 12 months, explaining that he could not accept a fight during Ramadan and that a family matter also required his attention.[12](https://www.ufc.com/news/the-reintroduction-of-islam-dulatov-ufc-abu-dhabi) Hours before the event he was pulled from the bout after being admitted to hospital overnight with an infection; his management confirmed the withdrawal, and the card proceeded with 12 fights instead of 13.[10](https://fightsplit.com/news/islam-dulatov-out-of-ufc-abu-dhabi) • [13](https://www.fightful.com/mma/ufc-fight-night-ankalaev-vs-guskov-results/)
## Fighting style and statistics
Dulatov is a very tall, lean welterweight for the division, and observers describe his hands as his best current weapons; his last three wins before the Turman booking were all first-round knockouts that began with a strike in close quarters.[14](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/3/Preview-UFC-Abu-Dhabi-Ankalaev-vs-Guskov-202042) In his single UFC bout he landed 60 of 110 significant strikes attempted, and his recorded average fight time is 3:25, reflecting how rarely his fights reach the later rounds.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) His submission wins come largely from scrambles, where he hunts the opponent's neck in transition.[14](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/3/Preview-UFC-Abu-Dhabi-Ankalaev-vs-Guskov-202042) He trains at [American Top Team](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-top-team), holds a [Brazilian jiu-jitsu](https://www.edgepedia.org/brazilian-jiu-jitsu) blue belt, and fights from an orthodox stance.[1](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov) • [15](https://allcombats.com/fighter/islam-dulatov)
## References
1. [Islam Dulatov, UFC athlete profile](https://www.ufc.com/athlete/islam-dulatov)
2. [From the Runway to the UFC Cage: The Extraordinary Story of Islam Dulatov, Fightbook MMA](https://www.fightbookmma.com/from-the-runway-to-the-ufc-cage-the-extraordinary-story-of-islam-dulatov/)
3. [Islam Dulatov, FightMatrix fighter profile](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Islam%20Dulatov/165683/)
4. [Standouts From Dana White's Contender Series, Season 8, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/standouts-from-dana-whites-contender-series-season-8)
5. [Islam Dulatov MMA Stats & News, RotoWire](https://www.rotowire.com/mma/player/islam-dulatov-2622)
6. [From catwalk to the cage: Versace model turned UFC fighter Islam Dulatov set for Abu Dhabi debut, The National](https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/combat-sports/2026/07/23/from-the-catwalk-to-the-cage-versace-model-turned-ufc-fighter-islam-dulatov-set-for-abu-dhabi-debut/)
7. [How four Chechen brothers became models in Germany, Deutsche Welle](https://amp.dw.com/en/germany-how-four-chechen-brothers-combine-modeling-and-martial-arts/a-51087428)
8. [Islam Dulatov: From DWCS Knockout to UFC Prospect, MMAtown](https://mmatown.com/videos/islam-dulatov-from-dwcs-knockout-to-ufc-prospect-or-next-level-mug9nzyf)
9. [Islam "The Ripper" Dulatov, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/news/Islam-Dulatov-236167)
10. [Islam Dulatov Out of UFC Abu Dhabi After Hospital Stay, FightSplit](https://fightsplit.com/news/islam-dulatov-out-of-ufc-abu-dhabi)
11. [All Eyes On Islam Dulatov, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/all-eyes-on-islam-dulatov-ufc-318)
12. [The Reintroduction of Islam Dulatov, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/the-reintroduction-of-islam-dulatov-ufc-abu-dhabi)
13. [UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov results, Fightful](https://www.fightful.com/mma/ufc-fight-night-ankalaev-vs-guskov-results/)
14. [Preview: UFC Abu Dhabi 'Ankalaev vs. Guskov' - Dulatov vs. Turman, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/3/Preview-UFC-Abu-Dhabi-Ankalaev-vs-Guskov-202042)
15. [Islam Dulatov, AllCombats fighter profile](https://allcombats.com/fighter/islam-dulatov)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › Welterweight and middleweight fighters › Welterweight fighters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license