The Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA 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 star remarks.

"We frequently say, 'this is the nation I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles promised better career prospects for him and his siblings.

The original 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 colleges.

But, reality now looks slightly different for the Ibragimov household.

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

His siblings have taken a separate route in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the first team.

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

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

From Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a long history in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, though, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a a kid, my dad was always instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, firstly to defend yourself, your relatives, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"So we all got used 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; obviously, it helped my little brothers a great deal."

"Many of the players he faces don't have the same base he has. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than capable competing against older players because of his background in wrestling.

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

Amir was signed, along with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Six years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's history to train with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing first-team players. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the present squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned every skill faster than the others. 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 also relocated to Manchester and dedicates 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, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year UFC championship bout.

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

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

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

Fresh from working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is desperate to claim a world title of his own one day.

But that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring with legendary players," he says.

"Today, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like 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 huge."