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

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his clan's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL athlete states.

"We often say, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

The young man departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a move covering 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 enrolling in one of the country's colleges.

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

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

His siblings have taken a separate path in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a place in the first team.

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

"I hope them to play for all of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among combat sports fans for producing a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is no accident, though, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, first to defend ourselves, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"So we all got used to fighting, and which is why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Many of the footballers he comes up against don't have the identical base he has. That's why he's stocky, strong and really driven – because of 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 comfortable competing against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," 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 across the Pennines as a result.

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

"One of their scouts saw him play and picked 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 train with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

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

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

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

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also 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 modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days perfecting his MMA abilities at a local gym.

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC championship bout.

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

"He was the best fighter in the world – and we always used to idolize him when we were young."

"Today, I'm here in his gym and training with Islam Makhachev."

Recently working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for 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 Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he recalls.

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be enormous."