The Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and at Manchester United.

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

"I am fond of it here," the Professional Fighters League star states.

"We often remark, 'this is the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better career prospects for him and his brothers.

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

However, reality has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA fighter and is viewed as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His siblings have taken a separate route in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the first team.

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

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

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

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

This success is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are often encouraged to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

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

"Therefore we all became accustomed to fighting, and that's why people 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 benefited my little brothers a great deal."

"Many of the players he comes up against lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and really driven – due to wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly comfortable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

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

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

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's history to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

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

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the current first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days honing his MMA skills at a local gym.

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC title fight.

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

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

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

Fresh from training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is desperate to win a world title of his own someday.

However that does not prevent him from sometimes fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed 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 says.

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be massive."