Khabib Nurmagomedov's teammate Ibragim Ibragimov admits his name may have kept him from getting more regional fights in his early career.
The 20-year-old is training for his fights with the likes of Khabib and Islam Makhachev in Dagestan and was signed to PFL last year, where he was able to remain active. His third fight in seven months takes place on Saturday during the Champions Series in Dubai against Irishman Kenny Mokhonoana.
Before signing with the promotion, Ibragimov admits he struggled to be matched on the regional stage in Britain, where he is based while training away from camp. And his coaches even told him to adopt the name of a big pop star to attract more attention from matchmakers.
Ibragim Ibragimov describes the battle of fights on the regional circuit with his surname
Ibragim Ibragimov was signed to the PFL days before his 20th birthday, as a teenager with a 5-0 record and an impressive amateur streak under his belt. However, he believes it could have been even better if every fighter who was offered a fight with him had accepted it.
Between coming to Britain from Dagestan and training with the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov and the Eagle MMA team, many regional fighters were reluctant to be matched with him. “I had problems at the start because no one wanted to fight me,” he told Bloody Elbow in an exclusive chat.
“If the people asked took the fights with me, I would be 20-0 at this stage. It's been a big problem for me. There weren't many people who wanted to fight me.
“But now at PFL they're giving me this opportunity and I've managed to get fights and stay active… Everyone says, 'You don't get into a fight with someone whose last name ends in 'ev' or 'mov'.”
Ibragim Ibragimov was told by coaches to change his name to Lewis Capaldi
At the Manchester Top Team gym, Ibragimov became known to coaches as Lewis Capaldi due to his resemblance in his younger years to the pop star. He even joked that if that was his new name, he might have been more successful at getting fights.
“My coach told me, get a new name,” he recalled. 'And what was that guy's name, Lewis Capaldi? Apparently I looked like him when I came to the gym, so my coach was something like 'Lewis Capaldi Lewis Capaldi'.
“I had long hair and stuff, so my coach said I looked like him and he said to me, 'Maybe we'll change your name and you'll get into more fights and stuff.' He sometimes calls me that when I have long hair.
“I was confused about who he was. So I googled him and I saw that the guy might have some photos where he looks like me!
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