Those Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his clan's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

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

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

The young man left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered superior professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

But, life has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His siblings have chosen a different route in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a place in the senior squad.

"The main thing for us is to extract everything out of our sports," says Ibragim.

"I hope them to play for all of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a another team."

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

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

The area has a rich tradition in grappling, thriving in the sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

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

"When I was young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and which is why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the players he faces don't have the same base he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly comfortable holding his own against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

"They thought 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 stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he said to me? 'This is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

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

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the existing first-team players. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the present first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything quicker than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also moved 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 late-year UFC championship bout.

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

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

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

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

But that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like 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 recalls.

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

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