Those Brothers from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Man Utd.

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

"I love it here," the PFL athlete declares.

"We always say, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The young man departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better career opportunities for him and his brothers.

The original plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish school before enrolling in one of the nation's colleges.

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

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts fighter and is viewed as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

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

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

"I hope them to play for all of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it could be a another team."

Starting as Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among combat sports fans for generating a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

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

This success is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are often pushed to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

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

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

"Some of the footballers he faces don't have the identical base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, coaches grouped him with boys five years older.

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same age, apparently," 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 joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved 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 most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'This is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

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

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the present squad members."

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

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

"He learned every skill faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days honing his MMA skills at a local gym.

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

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

"He was the greatest 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 training with Islam Makhachev."

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is desperate to win a world title of his own one day.

However that does not prevent him from sometimes fantasizing 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 legendary players," he recalls.

"Now, 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 discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be enormous."