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

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

"I am fond of it here," the PFL star remarks.

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

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better 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 finish their education before joining one of the country's universities.

However, reality now looks slightly different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA athlete and is regarded as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His siblings have chosen a separate route in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the senior squad.

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

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

From Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among fight enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a rich history in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This success is no accident, however, as children from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"As a young, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, first to defend ourselves, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and that's why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Some of the players he faces lack the same base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and really driven – 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 comfortable holding his own against older players because of his background in wrestling.

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

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

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, 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 tournament and Amir scored a brilliant free-kick," recalls Ibragim.

"One of their scouts saw him play and picked him immediately."

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

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should allow all the young players get game time right now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current starters. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the current squad members."

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

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

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

'A Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

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

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

"I would never have thought 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."

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

Recently training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to win a world title of his own one day.

But that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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