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

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his clan's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League competitor remarks.

"My father and I often remark, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

The young man departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a move covering more than 3,000 miles would provide better professional prospects for him and his brothers.

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

But, reality now looks somewhat different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His siblings have chosen a separate path in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the first team.

"Our key thing for us is to squeeze everything from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

"I hope them to play for all of the best teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it might be a different team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports fans for producing a host of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a rich history in grappling, thriving in the sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

This success is no accident, though, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, 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 unsurprising."

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

"Some of the players he faces don't have the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was perfectly comfortable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same age, apparently," 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 only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Half a dozen 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.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should let all the youthful players play now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I think the young guys are hungrier than the current squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned every skill quicker than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

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

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

"I would never have imagined I would be training 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 no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own one day.

However that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to 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 speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be huge."