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

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

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

"My father and I frequently say, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

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

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

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

Ibragim is now a pro MMA athlete and is seen as one of the top talents in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a different route in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the first team.

"The main thing for us is to extract everything out of our sports," says Ibragim.

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

From Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a host of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a rich history in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are frequently encouraged to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"As a young, my dad was always instructing me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," states 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 see the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my little brothers a lot."

"Some of the players he faces don't have the identical base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, trainers placed him with boys five years older.

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was perfectly capable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

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

Amir was recruited, together 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 over the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters saw him play and selected him immediately."

Half a dozen years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the first team when he achieved this 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 allow all the youthful players play right now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the present first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter 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 faster 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 Old Trafford

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

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

"I never have imagined I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

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

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

But that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing 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 says.

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

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be massive."