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

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he considers how his family's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

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

"We frequently say, 'this was the country I should have been born in.'"

The young man left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better career opportunities for him and his siblings.

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 nation's universities.

But, life now looks quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is viewed as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His siblings have chosen a separate path in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the first team.

"The main goal for us is to extract the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a long tradition in wrestling, excelling in the sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, however, as youth from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Some of the players he faces lack the identical base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, coaches grouped him with boys five years older.

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

"They thought Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

Amir was signed, together with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The family's time in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines as a result.

"They played Manchester United in a competition and Amir scored a spectacular free-kick," recalls Ibragim.

"One of their scouts saw him play and selected him straight away."

Six years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to let all the youthful players play now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the current first-team players. I believe the young guys are hungrier than the current squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

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

'The Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

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

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

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

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

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

Recently working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is eager to win a world title of his own someday.

However that does not prevent him from sometimes dreaming of representing United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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

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

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