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

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he considers how his clan's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I love it here," the PFL star declares.

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

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide superior career 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 enrolling in one of the country's universities.

However, life has turned out somewhat different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is seen as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His brothers have taken a different route in athletics and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the senior squad.

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

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

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among fight enthusiasts for generating a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a long history in wrestling, thriving in the sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is no accident, however, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was a kid, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to defend yourself, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to combat, and which is why everyone understands 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 benefited my little brothers a great deal."

"Many of the players he faces lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly competitive – due to wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly comfortable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he transferred over the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's history to train with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They should let all the youthful players get game time right now."

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

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

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

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

'The Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated 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, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC title fight.

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

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

"Now, I'm here in his gym and sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

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

But that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and walking out on the hallowed 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 Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

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

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