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

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his clan's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

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

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced 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 finish school before joining one of the nation's universities.

However, life has turned out somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His siblings have taken a different route in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the first team.

"The primary thing for us is to extract everything out of our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

"I desire 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 Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a long tradition in grappling, excelling in the sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, though, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was young, my dad was always instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to defend yourself, your relatives, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to combat, and that's why people 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; obviously, it assisted my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he comes up against lack the identical base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than capable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines as a result.

"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 picked him immediately."

Half a dozen years after signing for the Old Trafford 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 says.

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

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

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

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

"He picked up every skill faster than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and spends 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 November UFC title fight.

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

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

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

Recently working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

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

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," 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 dream for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be huge."