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

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he considers how his clan's life has transformed since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

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

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

The young man departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised superior 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 their education before enrolling in one of the country's colleges.

But, life has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is viewed as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a different path in athletics and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the senior squad.

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

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

Starting as Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a number of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a rich history in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is no accident, however, as youth from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, firstly to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and that's why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the footballers he faces lack the same foundation he has. That's why he's solid, powerful and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly capable competing against older players because of his background in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," says Ibragim.

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he transferred across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

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

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to let all the youthful players get game time right now."

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

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

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

"He picked up every skill faster than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be like 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 sharpening his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

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

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

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

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

Fresh from working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

But that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming 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 with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he recalls.

"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a fantasy realized."

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be massive."