The Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he thinks about how his clan's life has transformed since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

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

"My father and I often comment, 'this was the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better career opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

However, reality has turned out quite different for the Ibragimov household.

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

His brothers have chosen a separate route in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

"The primary thing for us is to squeeze the maximum from our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC champions in recent years.

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

This success is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, first to defend yourself, your relatives, and your companions," says Ibragim.

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

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

"Some of the footballers he faces lack the same base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really competitive – due to wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated 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 recruited, along with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he transferred over the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Six years after signing for the Old Trafford 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 reveals.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to allow all the youthful players play now."

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

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

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

"I would never have imagined I would be training 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 training with Islam Makhachev."

Recently working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is desperate to win a world title of his own someday.

But that does not stop him from sometimes dreaming of playing for United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

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

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