The Brothers from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his family's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

"My father and I often say, 'this is the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised 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 complete their education before enrolling in one of the country's universities.

However, life now looks somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts athlete and is viewed as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His siblings have chosen a different path in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the senior squad.

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

"I desire them to play for all of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team."

From Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among fight enthusiasts for generating a host of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a rich tradition in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

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.

"As a young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"So we all got used to fighting, and that's why people knows 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 little brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he faces lack the identical foundation he has. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly capable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

Amir was signed, along with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

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

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

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

Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to train with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. 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 present first-team players."

Following that, 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 gifted," adds Ibragim.

"He picked up every skill faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

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

"I never have thought 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."

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

Recently working with two UFC champions 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 fantasizing of playing for United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they would do it. It would be enormous."