Those Brothers from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his family's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

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

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

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better professional opportunities 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 joining one of the country's universities.

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

Ibragim is now a professional MMA fighter and is seen as one of the top talents in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His brothers have chosen a separate path in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a place in the first team.

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

"I want them to represent all of the finest teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Football Prodigies

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among combat sports fans for generating a slew of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a rich history in wrestling, thriving in the sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are frequently encouraged to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

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

"So we all got used to combat, and that's why people understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my little brothers a lot."

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

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

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than capable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

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

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

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

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

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's history to train with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Do you know what he told me? 'This is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the current squad members."

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

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

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

'The Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and dedicates 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 never have thought I would be training under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

"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 training with Islam Makhachev."

Fresh from working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is desperate to win a world title of his own someday.

But that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and stepping 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 Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," 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 dream for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be enormous."