The Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he considers how his family'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 say, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior career opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

But, reality has turned out slightly distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

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

"Our key goal for us is to extract everything out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

"I hope them to represent every one of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it might be a different team."

From Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight fans for producing a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The region has a rich history in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

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

"When I was a kid, my dad was always instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

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

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

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

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after joining 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 netted a spectacular free-kick," says Ibragim.

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

Half a dozen 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 practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should allow all the youthful players play now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current starters. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the current first-team players."

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

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

"He learned everything 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 Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and spends most of his days honing his MMA skills 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 November UFC title fight.

"I would never have thought I would be training under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

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

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

Fresh from training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

But that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

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

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they would do it. It would be massive."