The Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his family's life has transformed since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

"We always remark, 'this was the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles promised better professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

However, reality has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His brothers have chosen a different path in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a spot in the first team.

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

"I hope them to represent all of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it might be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among fight enthusiasts for generating a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a rich history in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are frequently pushed to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, first to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my younger brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he faces don't have the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really driven – due to wrestling."

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

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

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

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he transferred over the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to train with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to allow all the youthful players get game time right now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current starters. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the current squad members."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

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

'The Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days perfecting 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 get ready for a late-year UFC title fight.

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

"He was the greatest 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 sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own one day.

But that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming 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 always used to play as Man United, scoring with legendary players," he says.

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

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