Those Brothers from Dagestan 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 moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I adore it here," the PFL competitor states.

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

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better career opportunities 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.

However, reality has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts athlete and is viewed as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His siblings have taken a different route in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the senior squad.

"The primary goal for us is to extract everything from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

"I desire them to play for all of the finest teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it might be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among fight fans for generating a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is no accident, though, as youth from the region are often encouraged to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was always instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, first to defend yourself, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he faces don't have the same base he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and really competitive – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was perfectly capable holding his own 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 family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he transferred over the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

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

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current starters. I think the youngsters are more motivated than the current first-team players."

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

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

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

'A Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

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

In August, he passed three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year 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 idolize him when we were growing up."

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

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

However that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and stepping 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 says.

"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a fantasy realized."

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