Those Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he considers how his clan's life has transformed since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I love it here," the PFL athlete remarks.

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

The 21-year-old departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles would provide better career opportunities 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 country's colleges.

But, reality has turned out somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is regarded as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His siblings have chosen a separate route in sport and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the first team.

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

"I desire them to represent every one of the finest teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team."

Starting as Grapplers to Football Prodigies

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

The area has a long history in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world winners.

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

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

"Therefore we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why people understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he comes up against don't have the same foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was perfectly capable holding his own against older players because of his background in wrestling.

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

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he transferred over the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's history to train with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They should let all the young players play now."

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

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

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

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

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days perfecting his MMA abilities at a local gym.

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC championship bout.

"I would never have thought 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."

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

However that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of representing United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be massive."