The Brothers from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he reflects on how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL star states.

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

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better career opportunities 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 now looks quite distinct for the Ibragimov family.

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

His siblings have chosen a separate path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the senior squad.

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

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

Starting as Grapplers to Football Prodigies

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

The region has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to defend yourself, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

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

"Many of the footballers he comes up against lack the same base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and really driven – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than comfortable holding his own 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 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 became aware of Amir's talent and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

"One of their scouts saw him play and selected him immediately."

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's history to practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They should let all the youthful players get game time right now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the present first-team players."

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

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

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

'The Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC championship bout.

"I would never have thought I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim says.

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

"Today, 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 states he is eager to win a world title of his own one day.

But 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 constantly used to play as Man United, scoring goals with legendary players," he recalls.

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they could do it. It would be massive."