The Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and at Man Utd.

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

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete declares.

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

The young man left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised 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 school before joining one of the nation's colleges.

But, reality now looks somewhat different for the Ibragimov household.

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

His siblings have chosen a different route in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the senior squad.

"The primary thing for us is to squeeze the maximum from our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a rich history in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.

This success is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my younger brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he faces don't have the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and really competitive – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than comfortable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

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

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

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

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

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

Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's history to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

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

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current starters. I think the young guys are hungrier than the present squad members."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

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

"He was the greatest 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."

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

But that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of representing 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 with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," 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 officials about it to see if they would do it. It would be enormous."