Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and at Manchester United.

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

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete states.

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

The young man left his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better professional 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 has turned out slightly distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts athlete and is viewed as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His brothers have chosen a different path in sport and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the senior squad.

"The main goal for us is to extract the maximum from our sports," says Ibragim.

"I want them to represent all of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it might be a another team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

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

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

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

"As a young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to protect yourself, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore 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 excellent wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it benefited my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he faces don't have the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really driven – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," says Ibragim.

Amir was recruited, along with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to allow all the young players get game time right now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I think the youngsters are more motivated than the present first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything quicker than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare 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 always used to look up to him when we were young."

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

Recently working 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 dreaming of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring goals with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he recalls.

"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 speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be huge."