Those Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his family's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I adore it here," the PFL competitor remarks.

"We frequently remark, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

The young man departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior professional prospects for him and his brothers.

The original idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete their education before enrolling in one of the country's universities.

But, reality has turned out slightly distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is viewed as one of the top talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His siblings have taken a different route in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the senior squad.

"Our key thing for us is to extract everything from our sports," says Ibragim.

"I desire them to represent all of the best teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it might be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a rich history in grappling, thriving in the sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This success is no accident, however, as youth from the region are often encouraged to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and that's why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it benefited my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he comes up against lack the identical 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. Not knowing of his real age, coaches grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than capable holding his own against older players because of his background in wrestling.

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

Amir was signed, together with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

"They faced Manchester United in a tournament and Amir netted a brilliant free-kick," recalls Ibragim.

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's records to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

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

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I believe the young guys are hungrier than the present squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned every skill quicker than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year UFC championship bout.

"I would never have imagined 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."

"Today, I'm here in his gym and training with Islam Makhachev."

Recently working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is eager to win a world title of his own one day.

However that does not prevent him from sometimes dreaming of representing United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be enormous."