Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his family's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League competitor declares.

"My father and I always comment, 'this was the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional opportunities for him and his brothers.

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

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

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is seen as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a separate route in sport and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the first team.

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

"I hope them to play for all of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it might be a another team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among fight fans for generating a slew of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

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

This success is no accident, though, as children from the region are frequently pushed to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to defend ourselves, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to combat, and which is why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it benefited my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he comes up against don't have the same base he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, trainers grouped him with boys significantly older.

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

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just 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 brilliant free-kick," recalls Ibragim.

"One of their scouts saw him play and picked him immediately."

Half a dozen 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 train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'This is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should let all the youthful players play right now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current starters. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the present squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

"Gazik, this youngster is talented," continues 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 Goal' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA skills at a local gym.

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

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

"He was the greatest fighter in the world – and we always used to look up to him when we were growing up."

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

Fresh from training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

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

"I had a PlayStation at home and I always 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 like a dream come true."

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