Those Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and at Man Utd.

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

"I adore it here," the PFL star declares.

"We often remark, 'this is the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide superior professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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 country's universities.

But, life has turned out somewhat different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is regarded as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a leading MMA league.

His siblings have chosen a separate path in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a place in the first team.

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

"I hope them to play for every one of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it might be a another team."

From Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among combat sports fans for producing a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a rich tradition in grappling, excelling in the sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are often pushed to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was young, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to fighting, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Some of the footballers he comes up against don't have the identical base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really driven – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly comfortable holding his own against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

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

Amir was recruited, along with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only 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 netted a spectacular free-kick," says Ibragim.

"One of their scouts 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 records to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I think 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 made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'The Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days perfecting his MMA skills at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he passed 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 learning under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

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

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

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

But that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and stepping 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 legendary players," he recalls.

"Now, 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 speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they could do it. It would be enormous."