Those Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League star states.

"My father and I often comment, 'this is the nation I should have been born in.'"

The young man left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised better career opportunities for him and his brothers.

The initial idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish school before joining one of the country's colleges.

However, life now looks somewhat different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts athlete and is seen as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a different route in sport and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

"Our key thing for us is to extract the maximum from our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I hope them to represent all of the finest teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it could be a another team."

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among combat sports fans for generating a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a rich history in wrestling, thriving in the sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are frequently pushed to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, firstly to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and which is why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the footballers he comes up against lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly competitive – due to wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, coaches grouped him with boys five years older.

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same age, so the story goes," says Ibragim.

Amir was recruited, along with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he transferred over the Pennines as a result.

"They faced Manchester United in a tournament and Amir scored a spectacular free-kick," says Ibragim.

"One of their talent spotters watched him play and selected him immediately."

Half a dozen years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Do you know what he told me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to allow all the youthful players get game time right now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the current first-team players. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the present first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

"Gazik, this youngster is talented," adds Ibragim.

"He picked up every skill faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days honing his MMA abilities at a local gym.

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC title fight.

"I never have thought I would be training under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

"He was the best fighter in the world – and we constantly used to look up to him when we were young."

"Now, I'm here in his gym and sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

Recently working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is eager to claim a world title of his own one day.

But that does not stop him from sometimes dreaming of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with legendary players," he recalls.

"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a fantasy realized."

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be massive."