Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his family's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League star states.

"We often comment, 'this is the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man left his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles would provide superior professional prospects for him and his brothers.

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

However, life has turned out slightly distinct for the Ibragimov household.

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

His siblings have taken a different path in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the first team.

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

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

From Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among fight enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a rich history in grappling, excelling in the sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, however, as youth from the region are often encouraged to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"As a young, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a very good 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 possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was only 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 not intimidated by the oversight and was perfectly capable holding his own against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

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

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines as a result.

"They faced Manchester United in a competition 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 Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he said to me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should allow all the youthful players play now."

"In my opinion they would play worse 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 on the books of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He learned everything quicker than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

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

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

"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 sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

Recently working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

But that does not prevent him from sometimes dreaming 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 constantly used to play as Man United, scoring goals with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

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

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