Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he considers how his clan's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete remarks.

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

The young man left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered better career 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 school before enrolling in one of the nation's colleges.

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

Ibragim is now a professional MMA fighter and is seen as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His brothers have taken a separate path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the senior squad.

"Our key goal for us is to squeeze the maximum from our sports," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight enthusiasts for generating a host of UFC champions in the past few years.

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

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a a kid, my dad was always instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to fighting, and which is why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the footballers he faces lack the same base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

"They thought 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 family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters watched him play and picked 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 practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

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

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

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

"He learned every skill faster than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and spends most of his days honing his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year UFC championship bout.

"I would never have thought I would be learning 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."

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

Recently working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to win a world title of his own someday.

However that does not stop him from occasionally 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 constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he recalls.

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

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