Those Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his clan's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

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

"We frequently say, 'this was the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior career opportunities for him and his siblings.

The initial plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish their education before enrolling in one of the nation's universities.

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

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

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

"The main thing for us is to extract the maximum from our sports," explains Ibragim.

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

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among fight fans for generating a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

The area has a long history in grappling, thriving in the sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are often pushed to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

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

"So we all got used to fighting, and that's why people 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 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, powerful and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

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

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

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters saw him play and selected him immediately."

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

"Know what he said to me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to let all the youthful players play now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing starters. I think the young guys are more motivated than the current squad members."

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

"Gazik, this kid is talented," adds Ibragim.

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

'The Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days honing his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC championship bout.

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

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

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

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

But that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I owned 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 similar to a fantasy realized."

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