Those Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his family's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I adore it here," the PFL athlete states.

"My father and I frequently remark, 'this was the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised better 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 complete their education before enrolling in one of the country's colleges.

But, reality has turned out somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts fighter and is regarded as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His brothers have taken a different path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the senior squad.

"The primary thing for us is to squeeze everything from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

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

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mythical reputation among fight fans for generating a number of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a rich history in grappling, thriving in the sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, though, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to defend yourself, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he comes up against don't have the same foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was perfectly capable holding his own 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 signed, along with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he transferred over the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters watched 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 records to train with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to allow all the youthful players get game time now."

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

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

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

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

'A Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and dedicates 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 November UFC championship bout.

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

"He was the greatest fighter in the world – and we constantly 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 no surprise Ibragim states he is eager to win a world title of his own someday.

However that does not stop him from sometimes dreaming of representing United and walking out on the hallowed 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 recalls.

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

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