The Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

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

The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a move covering more than 3,000 miles offered better professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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

But, reality has turned out somewhat different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA fighter and is regarded as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His siblings have chosen a different route in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the senior squad.

"The main goal for us is to extract the maximum out of our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I want them to play for every one of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it could be a another team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

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

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

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to protect yourself, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my younger brothers a lot."

"Some of the footballers he comes up against lack the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really driven – due to wrestling."

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

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

"They thought Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after signing for the Old Trafford 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.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to allow all the young players get game time now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current starters. I think the young guys are hungrier than the present first-team players."

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

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

"He learned everything quicker 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 Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

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

"I would 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 young."

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

Fresh from training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is desperate to claim 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 historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I owned 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 fantasy realized."

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they could do it. It would be huge."