Those Brothers from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his clan's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete declares.

"We always say, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles promised 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 finish school before joining one of the nation's colleges.

However, reality now looks quite distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA athlete and is regarded as one of the top talents in the PFL, a leading MMA league.

His brothers have taken a different route in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a spot in the first team.

"Our key thing for us is to extract the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

"I desire them to play for all of the finest teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team."

From Grapplers to Football Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports fans for generating a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

The area has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are often pushed to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, firstly to protect yourself, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped my younger brothers a lot."

"Some of the footballers he faces lack the identical base he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and really driven – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than comfortable competing against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

Amir was recruited, along with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters 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 practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They should let all the young players play now."

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

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

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

"He picked up everything quicker than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC championship bout.

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

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

"Today, I'm here in his gym and training with Islam Makhachev."

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

However that does not stop him from sometimes dreaming of playing for United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

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

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