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

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he considers how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I adore it here," the PFL competitor states.

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

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a move covering more than 3,000 miles offered superior professional prospects for him and his siblings.

The initial plan 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 universities.

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

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

His siblings have taken a separate route in athletics and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the first team.

"The main thing for us is to extract everything from our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I hope them to represent every one of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports fans for generating a slew of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a rich tradition in wrestling, thriving in the sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.

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

"As a young, my dad was always instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he comes up against don't have the same base he has. That's why he's solid, strong and really driven – due to wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was perfectly comfortable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

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

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

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

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

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 achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I believe the young guys are more motivated than the present first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned every skill quicker than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days perfecting his MMA skills 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 training under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

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

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

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

But that does not stop him from sometimes fantasizing of representing United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

"Today, 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 guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be enormous."