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

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

"I am fond of it here," the Professional Fighters League star declares.

"We always say, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide superior professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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 colleges.

But, life has turned out somewhat different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts fighter and is regarded as one of the top talents in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

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

"The main goal for us is to squeeze the maximum from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

"I want 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 Football Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among fight enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

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

This success is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are frequently pushed to take up combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was always instructing me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your companions," says Ibragim.

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

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

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

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

He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly capable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters watched him play and picked him immediately."

Half a dozen years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records to train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to let all the young players get game time now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I think the young guys are hungrier than the current first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

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

'The Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now moved 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 title fight.

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

"He was the greatest fighter in the world – and we constantly used to idolize him when we were young."

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

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

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

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

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

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