About Damir Ismagulov

Damir Amangeldyevich Ismagulov (Kazakh: Дамир Амангельдыұлы Исмагулов; born February 3, 1991) is a Russian-Kazakhstani mixed martial artist, who competes in the Lightweight division. He has previously competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and was the former M-1 Global lightweight champion.

Background
As a child, he played football, was fond of horseback riding, tried himself in track and field athletics. Subsequently, he moved to Orenburg for permanent residence, enrolling in the Institute of Physical Culture and Sports of the Orenburg State Pedagogical University. As a student, he was engaged in various types of martial arts, fulfilled the standards of a master of sports in universal combat and in army hand-to-hand combat. Since 2011, he practised MMA at the amateur level. In 2014, after winning the Russian Cup, he was awarded the title of Master of Sports in mixed martial arts. Ismagulov is a practising Muslim and is ethnic Kazakh.