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

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he thinks about how his family's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL competitor declares.

"We frequently remark, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

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

The initial plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete school before joining one of the nation's colleges.

However, reality has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov family.

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

His brothers have taken a different route in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the first team.

"The main thing for us is to squeeze the maximum from our sports," says Ibragim.

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

Starting as Grapplers to Football Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The region has a rich tradition in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.

This success is no accident, however, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was young, my dad was always instructing me and my little brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to defend ourselves, 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 lot."

"Many of the players he comes up against lack the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and incredibly competitive – due to wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, coaches placed him with boys significantly older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players because of his background in wrestling.

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their scouts saw him play and selected him straight away."

Six years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the current squad members."

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

"Gazik, this kid is talented," continues 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."

'A Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening 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 would never have imagined I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim says.

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

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

Recently training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is desperate to claim a world title of his own one day.

However that does not stop him from sometimes dreaming of representing United and stepping 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 legendary players," 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 ambition for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they could do it. It would be enormous."