Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he thinks about how his clan's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League star remarks.

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

The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better career 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 universities.

However, reality now looks slightly different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts athlete and is regarded as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His siblings have chosen a different path in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the senior squad.

"The main thing for us is to extract the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

"I hope them to play for every one of the finest teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a different team."

From Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among fight fans for generating a host of UFC champions in recent years.

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

This achievement is no accident, though, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, almost 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 powerful, firstly to protect yourself, your relatives, and your companions," says Ibragim.

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

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

"Some of the footballers he comes up against don't have the identical foundation he has. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was only 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 not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly capable competing against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same age, apparently," says Ibragim.

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred over the Pennines as a result.

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

"One of their scouts watched him play and selected him straight away."

Six years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to allow all the youthful players play right now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I think the youngsters are more motivated than the present first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days perfecting his MMA skills at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year UFC championship bout.

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

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

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

Fresh from working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is desperate to claim a world title of his own one day.

But that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed 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.

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