Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

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

"We frequently remark, 'this is the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior career prospects for him and his siblings.

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

But, reality now looks somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is seen as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His siblings 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.

"Our key goal for us is to extract the maximum from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among combat sports fans for producing a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

The area has a long tradition in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are frequently pushed to take up combat sports, specifically 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 had to be powerful, firstly to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Many of the footballers he comes up against lack the identical base he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and really driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, coaches placed him with boys significantly older.

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was more than capable competing against older players because of his background in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

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

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

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

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's records to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

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

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the current squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise transferred to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC championship bout.

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

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

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

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is desperate to win a world title of his own someday.

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

"I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly 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 dream come true."

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be enormous."