Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he reflects on how his clan's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I am fond of it here," the Professional Fighters League star remarks.

"My father and I frequently say, 'this is the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide superior career prospects for him and his brothers.

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

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

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the leading talents in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His siblings have taken a separate path in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the first team.

"Our key thing for us is to squeeze the maximum from our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

"I want them to represent all of the best teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it might be a another team."

From Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among fight fans for producing a number of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

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

This success is no accident, though, as youth from the region are frequently encouraged to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was young, my dad was always instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Many of the footballers he comes up against lack the same base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and really driven – due to wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly capable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

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

Amir was signed, along with Ibragim's younger 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 became aware of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters watched him play and selected 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 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? Absolutely. They should allow all the young players play now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current starters. I think the young guys are more motivated than the current first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything quicker 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 Compete at Old Trafford

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, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year UFC title fight.

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

"He was the best fighter in the world – and we constantly used to idolize him when we were young."

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

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

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

"I had a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring goals with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

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

"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 do it. It would be enormous."