Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and with Man Utd.

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

"I am fond of it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete states.

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

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles promised 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 complete school before enrolling in one of the country's universities.

But, reality now looks slightly distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a different path in athletics and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a spot in the senior squad.

"The primary thing for us is to extract the maximum from our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

From Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

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

The region has a rich history in grappling, excelling in the sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are frequently pushed to take up combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, first to protect yourself, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

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

"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 foundation he has. That's why he's solid, strong and really driven – because of 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 five years older.

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than capable holding his own against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently," says Ibragim.

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he moved over the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their scouts saw him play and picked him immediately."

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

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to allow all the young players get game time now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current starters. I think the young guys are more motivated than the present first-team players."

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

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

"He learned every skill faster than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now moved 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 get ready for a late-year UFC title fight.

"I would never have imagined I would be learning 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."

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is eager to win a world title of his own someday.

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

"I had a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring goals with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

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

"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 do it. It would be massive."