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

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

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League competitor remarks.

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

The 21-year-old left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better professional prospects for him and his brothers.

The initial 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 universities.

But, life has turned out quite different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts athlete and is seen as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His siblings have chosen a separate route in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the senior squad.

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

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

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among fight enthusiasts for generating a slew of UFC champions in the past few years.

The area has a rich tradition in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, though, as children from the region are often encouraged to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was young, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, first to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to fighting, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the players he comes up against lack the same base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, coaches grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than capable competing against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred over the Pennines as a result.

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

"One of their scouts watched 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 most youthful players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to let all the youthful players play now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I think the youngsters are more motivated than the current first-team players."

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

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

"He picked up every skill quicker than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days honing his MMA abilities at a local gym.

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC title fight.

"I never have imagined I would be learning 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."

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

Fresh from working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is eager to claim a world title of his own one day.

However that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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

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

"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 make it happen. It would be huge."