The Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and at Man Utd.

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

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

"My father and I frequently comment, 'this is the country 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 covering more than 3,000 miles offered better professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

However, life has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts fighter and is viewed as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His brothers have chosen a different path in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the first team.

"The main thing for us is to extract the maximum out of our sports," says Ibragim.

"I want them to play for every one of the finest teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it might be a another team."

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a long history in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is no accident, though, as youth from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was always instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, firstly to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped 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, strong and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, coaches grouped him with boys five years older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was more than comfortable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred over the Pennines consequently.

"They played Manchester United in a competition and Amir scored a spectacular free-kick," recalls Ibragim.

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

Six 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 history to train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he said to me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

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

"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing starters. I believe the youngsters are more motivated 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 kid is gifted," adds Ibragim.

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

'A Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

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

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

"I never have imagined I would be training under Khabib," Ibragim says.

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

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

Fresh from working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

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

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

"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a dream come true."

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