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

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League competitor declares.

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

The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles promised better career prospects for him and his siblings.

The initial idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish school before joining one of the country's colleges.

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

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts athlete and is regarded as one of the top talents in the PFL, a leading MMA league.

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

"The primary thing for us is to extract everything from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

"I hope them to represent all of the best teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it might be a another team."

From Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports fans for producing a host of UFC champions in the past few years.

The area has a long tradition in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are often encouraged to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

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

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

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

"Some of the footballers he faces don't have the identical foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, strong and really competitive – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than capable holding his own against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the same 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, though, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I think the young guys are hungrier than the current first-team players."

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

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

"He learned every skill faster than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare 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 constantly 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 states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

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

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

"Today, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's similar to a dream come true."

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