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

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his clan's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I am fond of it here," the Professional Fighters League competitor remarks.

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

The young man departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better career opportunities for him and his brothers.

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

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

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

His siblings have taken a separate route in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

"The primary thing for us is to squeeze everything from our sports," says Ibragim.

"I hope them to represent every one of the finest teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it might be a another team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC titleholders in recent years.

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

This success is no accident, though, as youth from the region are often encouraged to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a young, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it benefited my younger brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he comes up against don't have the same base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly 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 placed him with boys five years older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than capable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same 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 only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six 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 records to train with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to let all the youthful players play now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I believe 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 transferred to Manchester United.

"Gazik, this youngster is talented," continues Ibragim.

"He picked up everything faster than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

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

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

"I never have imagined I would be training under Khabib," Ibragim says.

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

"Today, I'm here in his gym and training with Islam Makhachev."

Recently training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

But that does not prevent him from sometimes dreaming of playing for United and stepping out on the historic 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 Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

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

"An event 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 massive."