The Brothers from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he thinks about how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I adore it here," the PFL competitor declares.

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

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles would provide superior professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

However, reality now looks somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov household.

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

His brothers have chosen a different path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a place in the first team.

"Our key thing for us is to extract the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

"I want them to play for every one of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it might be a another team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a rich tradition in wrestling, thriving in the sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are often pushed to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, first to protect yourself, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to combat, and that's why people understands 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; obviously, it helped my little brothers a great deal."

"Many of the footballers he comes up against lack the identical foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, strong and really driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, trainers grouped him with boys significantly older.

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

"They thought Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," says Ibragim.

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's history to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They should let all the youthful players play now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current starters. I think the youngsters are more motivated than the current first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He learned everything faster than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days perfecting his MMA skills at Manchester Top Team.

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 learning under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

"He was the greatest fighter in the world – and we always used to look up to him when we were young."

"Now, 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 eager to claim a world title of his own one day.

However that does not stop him from sometimes fantasizing 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 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."

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