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

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he considers how his family's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete states.

"We often comment, 'this is the nation I should have been born in.'"

The young man left his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide superior professional prospects for him and his brothers.

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

However, reality has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov family.

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

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

"The main goal for us is to squeeze everything from our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I hope them to represent every one of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it might be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among combat sports fans for producing a host of UFC champions in the past few years.

The region has a long tradition in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This success is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are often pushed to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, first to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it assisted my younger brothers a lot."

"Some of the players he comes up against lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, trainers grouped him with boys five years older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than comfortable competing against older players because of his background in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently," 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 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 talent spotters saw him play and picked him immediately."

Six years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's records to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

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

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current first-team players. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the present first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned everything faster 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 also 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, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a November 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 look up to him when we were young."

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

Fresh from training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is eager to win a world title of his own one day.

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

"I had a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring with legendary players," he recalls.

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

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