Those Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and at Man Utd.

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

"I am fond of it here," the PFL athlete declares.

"We always comment, 'this was the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional opportunities for him and his brothers.

The initial plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish school before joining one of the country's universities.

But, reality has turned out somewhat different for the Ibragimov household.

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

His brothers have chosen a different route in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the senior squad.

"The primary goal for us is to extract everything out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among combat sports fans for generating a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a long history in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, first to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"Therefore 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 observe the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it benefited my younger brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he comes up against don't have the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, trainers grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly comfortable holding his own against older players because of his experience 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 clan's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters saw him play and picked 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 records to train with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he told me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should allow all the youthful players play now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the present squad members."

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

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

"He learned every skill quicker than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days perfecting his MMA skills at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC championship bout.

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

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

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

Fresh from training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is eager to win a world title of his own someday.

However that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring goals with legendary players," he recalls.

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

"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 huge."