The Brothers from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and at Manchester United.

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

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

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

The young man departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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

But, life now looks 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 prominent MMA league.

His siblings have chosen a different path in athletics and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the first team.

"Our key goal for us is to squeeze everything out of our sports," 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 might be a different team."

From Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight fans for generating a number of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a long tradition in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, however, as youth from the region are often encouraged to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"As a young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to protect yourself, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to fighting, and which is why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he comes up against lack the same base he has. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was more than comfortable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

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

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Six 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 history to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the present squad members."

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

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

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

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days honing his MMA skills 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 November UFC championship bout.

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

"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 training with Islam Makhachev."

Recently training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is eager to claim a world title of his own one day.

But that does not stop him from sometimes fantasizing 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 constantly used to play as Man United, scoring goals with legendary players," he says.

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

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be enormous."