List: Top Male Models Who Have Thrown Down in the UFC – Catwalk to Cage
The world of UFC professional fighting isn’t exactly known for its fashion-forward crowd, but a peculiar breed has emerged over the years – male models who decided to trade the catwalk for the cage. These fighters prove that being easy on the eyes doesn’t mean you can’t throw a mean punch. These are UFC fighters who were models or became models.
UFC Fighters Who Were Male Models
Carlos Ulberg
Carlos Ulberg might be New Zealand’s answer to combining good looks with heavy hands. The light heavyweight worked part-time as a model when he’s not busy knocking people unconscious in the UFC. Born with Samoan, Māori, and German heritage, Ulberg was actually offered spots on The Bachelor twice but turned them down to focus on his fighting career. He once made his living as a male dancer doing ladies’ nights across Australia and New Zealand, complete with billboards and travel perks.
Islam Dulatov
Islam Dulatov represents the most recent addition to this exclusive club. The German-Chechen welterweight was already walking runways for Versace, Gucci, and Lanvin before stepping into the Octagon. His modeling career peaked when British Vogue named him one of the top 10 models in 2018. Now he’s busy collecting knockouts in the UFC while still maintaining his fashion contracts, proving that you can indeed have your cake and eat it too.
Maurício “Shogun” Rua
Maurício “Shogun” Rua might surprise fans who know him as the grizzled Pride legend. Before becoming one of MMA’s most feared knockout artists, the Brazilian worked as a model to support his fighting dreams. He was involved in books, pictures, and fashion shows for various brands, using the income to fund his early fighting career. The modeling gig eventually took a backseat once his cage career took off, but it served its purpose in getting him to the big leagues.
UFC Fighters Who Became Male Models
Luke Rockhold
Luke Rockhold turned modeling into an art form while maintaining his status as a former UFC middleweight champion. He signed with Soul Artist Management, walked New York Fashion Week, and became the face of Ralph Lauren’s “Polo Blue” fragrance. Rockhold was so successful in modeling that he contemplated taking indefinite breaks from fighting to pursue fashion opportunities. His striking looks and championship pedigree made him a natural fit for high-end campaigns.
Alan Jouban
Alan Jouban pioneered the fighter-model crossover in many ways. The Louisiana native moved to New York at 20 to pursue modeling, found fighting in Los Angeles, then came full circle when modeling agents rediscovered him as a UFC fighter. He landed major campaigns including Versace Dylan Blue fragrance opposite Gigi Hadid. Jouban proved that the UFC platform could actually enhance modeling opportunities rather than hinder them.
“Wonderboy” Stephen Thompson
Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson added modeling to his resume after establishing himself as one of the UFC’s premier strikers. His wholesome, all-American image caught the attention of fashion industry scouts, leading to a contract with IMG Models. Thompson admitted that walking a runway would be more frightening than walking to the cage.
