Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and at Manchester United.

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

"I am fond of it here," the Professional Fighters League star declares.

"My father and I often comment, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The young man left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a move covering more than 3,000 miles would provide superior professional prospects for him and his brothers.

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

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

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

His brothers have chosen a separate path in sport and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the senior squad.

"The primary thing for us is to extract the maximum out of our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

"I want them to play for every one of the best teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it might be a different team."

Starting as Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among fight fans for producing a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

The area has a long history in grappling, excelling in the sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are often encouraged to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, first to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it assisted my younger brothers a lot."

"Some of the footballers he comes up against lack the identical base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and really competitive – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than capable competing against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

Amir was signed, together with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he told me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

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

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

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

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

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

'The Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC championship bout.

"I never have imagined I would be training under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

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

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

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

But that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for 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 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 do it. It would be enormous."