Those Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his clan's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL star declares.

"My father and I frequently say, 'this is the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better professional opportunities for him and his brothers.

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

However, life now looks quite distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is regarded as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His brothers have chosen a different path in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the senior squad.

"The primary goal for us is to squeeze the maximum from our sports," says Ibragim.

"I desire them to play for every one of the best teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight enthusiasts for generating a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The region has a rich tradition in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are frequently encouraged to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to fighting, and which is why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the footballers he comes up against don't have the identical base he has. That's why he's solid, powerful and really competitive – because of wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was perfectly capable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved across 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 picked him straight away."

Six years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he did so 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? 100%. They should let all the young players get game time now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing starters. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the current squad members."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything quicker than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and spends most of his days honing his MMA skills at Manchester Top Team.

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

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

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

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

Recently training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is desperate to win a world title of his own someday.

However that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing of representing United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring goals 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."

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be massive."