The Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his family's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL athlete remarks.

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

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles would provide superior career prospects for him and his siblings.

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

But, life has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

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

His brothers have taken a different route in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the first team.

"Our key thing for us is to extract everything out of our sports," explains Ibragim.

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

From Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among fight enthusiasts for generating a host of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a long history in grappling, excelling in the sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is no accident, however, as children from the region are frequently pushed to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

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

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

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it assisted my little brothers a lot."

"Some of the footballers he faces lack the identical base he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and really competitive – due to wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, trainers grouped him with boys five years older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly capable competing 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 recruited, together with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The family's time in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he transferred over the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's history to train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Do you 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? Without a doubt. They need to let all the young players get game time now."

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

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

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

"He picked up every skill quicker than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

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."

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

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

However that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they could do it. It would be enormous."