The Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and at Manchester United.

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

"I love it here," the PFL competitor declares.

"My father and I frequently remark, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better professional prospects for him and his brothers.

The initial idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete school before joining one of the nation's universities.

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

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is regarded as one of the leading talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a separate path in athletics and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a place in the senior squad.

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

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

From Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports fans for producing a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The region has a rich history in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

This success is no accident, however, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to protect yourself, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and which is why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my little brothers a lot."

"Some of the players he comes up against don't have the identical base he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The clan's time 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 over the Pennines as a result.

"They faced Manchester United in a tournament and Amir netted a brilliant free-kick," says Ibragim.

"One of their scouts saw him play and selected him immediately."

Half a dozen 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 practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he told me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

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

"I don't think they would play worse than the current first-team players. I think the young guys are more motivated than the present first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and spends most of his days honing 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 late-year UFC championship bout.

"I would never have thought I would be training under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

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

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

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

However that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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

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

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