Damir's childhood is a compelling story of resilience and unwavering determination, rooted in the rich traditions of his Kazakh heritage. As a child, he was immersed in the caring arms of his grandparents Kausaria and Amangelda, who instilled in him a deep respect for sports and the value of hard work.
Although his early dreams were simple - to one day become a farmer. But fate had other plans for this young man. After injury left him unable to participate in various sports, Damir stumbled upon the world of wrestling and it was here that his true calling began to emerge.
Moving to a different city
The first steps were difficult, but Damir's indomitable spirit and unyielding passion carried him forward. Having moved to Orenburg, he devoted himself entirely to sports, rising through the ranks with amazing speed. By the age of 20, he had already reached the amateur level, and his perseverance was rewarded with the Russian Cup championship and the prestigious title of master of sports.
Recognizing the growing popularity of MMA, Damir made a bold transition in 2014, deciding to conquer this new frontier. His professional debut was a resounding success, although he faced setbacks in his first two amateur MMA fights. Undeterred, he came back with a vengeance, showcasing his skills at the Russian MMA Union tournament, where he won an astonishing four fights in just two days.
Damir's remarkable journey is a testament to the transformative power of family, tradition and the relentless pursuit of one's dreams. From his humble Kazakh roots to the heights of MMA glory, his story inspires us to never underestimate the power of the human spirit.
Personal life
In 2017, Damir stated in an interview that winning the M-1 belt would prompt him to get married immediately. While the identity of his then-fiancée remained undisclosed, the wedding itself remained out of the public eye until September 7, 2020, when Ismagulov shared a photo with his wife on social media, humorously captioning it:
"Ask no more questions" about the wedding.
Start a professional career
From the very first professional match, Damir Ismagulov distinguished himself by winning the OMMAF “Gold of the Scythians” tournament, which was a favorable start to his career. This victory was followed by two matches in Kazakhstan, after which the promising lightweight fighter was invited to M-1, a large Russian league, where he quickly made a name for himself.
Damir's debut in M-1 went flawlessly, as did his second fight. However, he suffered a setback against Ramazan Esenbaev, where he struggled to set the pace of the fight and ultimately lost by judge's decision. However, this defeat served as a valuable lesson for the young fighter, giving him a new determination to dominate his future opponents. After two fights outside M-1 and winning by TKO in both, Ismagulov returned to M-1, won four more fights and earned a shot at the title.
In May 2017, the lightweight title was up for grabs. Damir and his main rival Maxim Divnich had an exciting fight, in which Ismagulov won. After this triumph, he took part in a non-title fight against Rogerio da Conceiço, and then successfully defended his title twice - once by decision against Raul Tutarauli and another time by technical knockout against Artem Damkovsky. Thanks to the partnership between M-1 and the UFC, aimed at finding new talent in Russia, Ismagulov's achievements attracted the attention of international promoters, which led to an invitation to compete under the UFC banner.
First places at UFC
A champion with two title defenses, Ismagulov competed at Fight Night 142 in Australia, where he defeated local favorite Alex "Hitman" Gorgis. In 2019, Ismagulov continued his winning streak with decisions over Joel Alvarez and Thiago Moises, the latter coming at the inaugural UFC event in China.
Damir himself is open about his future ambitions in the weight class, stating that whether he is a fighter at lightweight, featherweight or 77kg, his main goal remains to climb to the top of the rankings and secure a championship fight.
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