Those Brothers from Dagestan 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 in 2017.

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

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

The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised better career prospects for him and his siblings.

The initial idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish their education before enrolling in one of the nation's colleges.

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

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts athlete and is seen as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a leading MMA league.

His siblings have chosen a different route in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the senior squad.

"The primary thing for us is to extract the maximum from our sports," says Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

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

This achievement is no accident, though, as children from the region are frequently pushed to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Many of the footballers he comes up against don't have the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, 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 actual age, coaches grouped him with boys significantly older.

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

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

Amir was recruited, together with Ibragim's little 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 ability and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their scouts watched him play and selected him immediately."

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

"Know what he told me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

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

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current first-team players. I think the young guys are hungrier than the current first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned every skill faster than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends 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, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC championship bout.

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

"He was the best fighter in the world – and we always used to idolize him when we were growing up."

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

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

However that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of representing United and stepping out on the historic 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 Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

"Today, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's similar to a dream come true."

"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 do it. It would be massive."