Unbeaten PFL Star: “Im Called ‘The Mauler’ For A Reason!”

Unbeaten Prospect Wants To Be The Youngest PFL Champion

Much of the discourse surrounding the PFL’s upcoming Road to Dubai: Champions Series event later this month has centred around the main event between Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes. The promotion has leaned heavily into the “Dagestan vs. Ireland” narrative, even drip-feeding clips on social media of Khabib Nurmagomedov discussing the topic.

The war of words that has ensued online between Hughes and the former UFC lightweight champion has certainly done wonders for the upcoming event in Dubai from a marketing perspective, and it may well have taken some pressure away from some of the exciting young talents that make up the rest of the card on January 25th.

The Future Is Bright

Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0 MMA, 2-0 PFL) is one of those fighters. The Dagestani-born fighter who now lives and trains in Manchester, England has broken onto the European scene in a massive way over the past twelve months.

“The Mauler” only turned professional in August of 2021 but a run of six straight victories (with five finishes) marked the then-teenager out as a special talent to watch on the UK MMA scene.

Ahead of Ibragimov’s PFL debut last June, the promotion’s head of fighter operations Dan Hardy highlighted him as a potential future superstar within the promotion.

“At just twenty years old Ibragim Ibragimov has amassed an impressive thirteen-fight unbeaten streak, spanning his amateur and professional career,” Hardy told TalkSport.

“Currently 6-0 as a pro, Ibragimov hones his skills at the famed Manchester Top Team Academy but fights with that signature Dagestani wrestling style.

“Nicknamed ‘The Mauler’, Ibragimov lives up to his moniker in every sense of the word. Closing opponents down with accurate and precise striking, and then wrestling them to the ground where he dominates from the top position with strikes and submission attempts.

“Ibragim is about to make his PFL debut and there is a tremendous amount of excitement to see how he fares when stepping up in competition, and if they can handle this dangerous Featherweight.”

A Breakout Year For “The Mauler”

Ibragimov submitted Josh Reed in under a minute in his first outing inside the PFL smartcage and banked three valuable rounds when he beat Nacho Campos by unanimous decision on the Battle of the Giants event in Saudi Arabia in October.

He is booked to fight Ireland’s Kenny Mokhonoana on the main card in Dubai, and has travelled back to his homeland to prepare for the fight.

“I’m in Dagestan right now training with the one of the best guys around here” the 20-year-old said in an exclusive interview with MMA Sucka recently, “with Usman (Nurmagomedov), we’re all in the same camp training hard for our fights, we’re all ready and then 25th of January is going to be fireswork so I can’t wait, yeah, looking forward to it.

With an MMA legend like Dan Hardy singing his praises and then being given opportunities on the promotion’s most prestigous fight cards, it’s clear that the PFL hold Ibragimov in high regard, and the feeling is clearly mutual.

“i’ve been enjoying every moment of it” he says of his PFL tenure to date. “The PFL gave me a lot of opportunity and they they were pushing me a lot, which is massive, thank you all of them, all the guys, all the staff, Eduardo (Cunha Lima, senior director at the PFL) and then everyone else…Dan Hardy, and then everyone who’s behind it. I just really appreciate it.

“It’s been a good three fights, I’ve enjoyed them on the big platforms, two massive shows. The second one was the Battle of the Giants, and another one now in Dubai, another massive show, another massive opportunity for myself to introduce myself to the world, so yeah I’m really enjoyed every month moment of it”.

“I’m Called ‘The Mauler’ For A Reason!”

Ibragimov has racked only needed the judge’s scorecards twice in his eight professional outings to date, picking up three submission victories and three by KO/TKO along the way. Despite his growing reputation as a fighter who finishes fights, he says it isn’t something he focuses on too much.

“I’m never planning to finish the guy, you know?” he says. “When you plan to finish someone it seems like it’s getting harder. It comes when it comes in the right time. If it comes, it comes. But if it doesn’t come, I’m there, I’m mauling people. I’m “The Mauler” for a reason! I’m doing my best (to finish the fight).

“I’m working on everything at the moment. Everything like wrestling, striking, control, everything. I’ve got a plan, I’m doing my plan, I’m sticking to my plan. If I get the finish, I get the finish.

“In my previous fight (against Nacho Campos) I didn’t get the finish, but I was a bit frustrated to be honest because of some things. I had a few injuries in that fight and stuff like that, but I never mentioned it because this is the part of the game. We’re always going to get injuries and we don’t have to tell nobody. 

“I still got a win. It’s another experience, another 15 minutes banked for me which is good, so yeah, I’m glad that to be honest in one way, I did, I wasn’t happy because I didn’t get a finish, but in the other way, I was happy that I’ve got like 15 minutes of experience in the cage”.

Ibragimov Wants To Break PFL Records

At just 20-years-old, the world is at Ibragimov’s feet. “I’ve never talked about my future with (the PFL) to be honest” he says when asked what happens after his upcoming fight, “but I reckon they definitely would want me to be in the world championship race. but I’m not in rush.

“I wanted to be a European champion and then the world champion because I wanted to get a (PFL Europe) championship belt and then slowly move to a world championship belt but I’ve got bare time. I want to be the youngest PFL European champion and then the youngest PFL world champion so this is the plan for me”.