Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his family's life has transformed since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL athlete remarks.

"My father and I often remark, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised better professional opportunities for him and his brothers.

The original plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish school before joining one of the nation's universities.

But, life now looks slightly distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the top talents in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His brothers have chosen a separate route in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the first team.

"The main goal for us is to squeeze the maximum from our sports," says Ibragim.

"I hope them to play for all of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Football Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among combat sports fans for generating a host of UFC champions in the past few years.

The region has a rich tradition in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was always instructing me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, first to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the footballers he faces don't have the same base he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, coaches placed him with boys five years older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was more than capable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently," says Ibragim.

Amir was signed, together with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

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

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

"One of their talent spotters saw him play and picked him immediately."

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records to train 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.

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

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

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

"Gazik, this youngster is gifted," continues 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 Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening 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 get ready for a November UFC championship bout.

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

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

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

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is desperate to win a world title of his own someday.

However that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and walking out on the historic 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 goal for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be huge."