Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Manchester United.

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

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

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

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

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

But, life now looks quite distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts athlete and is viewed as one of the leading talents in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His siblings have taken a different path in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the senior squad.

"The main thing for us is to extract everything out of our sports," explains Ibragim.

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

From Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical reputation among combat sports fans for producing a host of UFC champions in recent years.

The area has a rich tradition in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, however, as children from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, first to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to combat, and that's why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the players he comes up against don't have the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and really driven – because of wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was more than capable competing against older players because of his background in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, so the story goes," says Ibragim.

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred over the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters saw him play and selected him immediately."

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's records to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he said to me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

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

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

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

"Gazik, this kid is gifted," continues Ibragim.

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

'A Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

In August, he passed three weeks in his homeland 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 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 sometimes dreaming of representing United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring goals with legendary players," he says.

"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a fantasy realized."

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they could do it. It would be huge."