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

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

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

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

The young man departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide superior career opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

But, life has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov family.

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

His siblings have taken a separate route in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a spot in the first team.

"The main thing for us is to extract everything out of our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I desire them to represent all of the best teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it might be a different team."

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

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

The area has a rich history in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are often pushed to take up combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why people understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Some of the players he faces lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and really competitive – due to wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

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

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

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

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

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

Half a dozen 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 records to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'This is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

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

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current first-team players. I think 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 youngster is gifted," continues Ibragim.

"He learned everything faster than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to 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 sharpening his MMA skills at a local gym.

In August, he passed three weeks in his homeland 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 admits.

"He was the best 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 working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is eager to claim a world title of his own one day.

But that does not stop him from sometimes fantasizing of playing for United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I had a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring goals with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," 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 discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be enormous."