The Brothers from Dagestan Excelling in MMA and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I love it here," the PFL competitor remarks.

"We frequently comment, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

The young man left his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised better professional opportunities for him and his brothers.

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 universities.

However, life now looks quite different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is regarded as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His siblings have taken a different route in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the first team.

"The primary thing for us is to squeeze everything out of our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I desire them to represent every one of the finest teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a different team."

From Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among combat sports fans for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The region has a long tradition in wrestling, thriving in the sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is no accident, though, as children from the region are often pushed to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why people understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it benefited my little brothers a great deal."

"Many of the footballers he comes up against don't have the same base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than comfortable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," says Ibragim.

Amir was recruited, along with Ibragim's younger 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 ability and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

"One of their scouts saw him play and picked 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 history to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to allow all the youthful players play right now."

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

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

In August, he passed three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year UFC title fight.

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

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

"Today, I'm here in his gym and sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

Fresh from training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring goals with legendary players," 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 goal for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be massive."