Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he considers how his clan's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I adore it here," the PFL athlete remarks.

"My father and I always remark, 'this is the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide superior professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

However, reality now looks somewhat different for the Ibragimov family.

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

His siblings have taken a different path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the first team.

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

"I desire 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."

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a number of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a rich tradition in grappling, excelling in the sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world winners.

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

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he faces lack the identical foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly competitive – due to wrestling."

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

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

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently," says Ibragim.

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters 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 became one of the most youthful players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he said to me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They should let all the youthful players get game time right now."

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

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything quicker than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The 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 spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year UFC title fight.

"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 growing up."

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

Fresh from working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to win a world title of his own one day.

But that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing 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 similar to a fantasy realized."

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they could do it. It would be huge."