Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his clan's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I adore it here," the PFL athlete states.

"We often comment, 'this was the nation 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 relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior professional prospects 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, reality now looks somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts athlete and is seen as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a separate path in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the first team.

"Our key goal for us is to extract everything from our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I hope them to represent every one of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it could be a another team."

Starting as Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among combat sports fans for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

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

This success is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are often encouraged to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

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

"Therefore we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why people understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he faces lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

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

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

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

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after joining the Manchester United 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 said to me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They should let all the youthful players play right now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I think the young guys are more motivated than the current squad members."

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

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

"He picked up everything quicker than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities 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 title fight.

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

"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 sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

Fresh from working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and stepping 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 with legendary players," he recalls.

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

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