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

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

"I love it here," the PFL star declares.

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

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised superior career prospects for him and his brothers.

The initial 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 colleges.

But, life has turned out somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA athlete and is viewed as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

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

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

"I desire them to play for every one of the finest teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it might be a different team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among fight fans for producing a slew of UFC champions in the past few years.

The area has a long history in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are often pushed to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it assisted my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he comes up against lack the identical foundation he has. That's why he's solid, powerful and incredibly driven – due to 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 comfortable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"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? Absolutely. They should allow all the youthful players get game time now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the current squad members."

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

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

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

'A Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC championship bout.

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

"He was the greatest fighter in the world – and we always used to idolize him when we were young."

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

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

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

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

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

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