Those Brothers from Dagestan Excelling in MMA and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his family's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete remarks.

"We always remark, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

The young man departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles would provide better professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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 country's colleges.

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

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is seen as one of the top talents in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His brothers have taken a separate path in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the first team.

"The primary thing for us is to extract the maximum out of our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

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

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among combat sports fans for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

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

This achievement is no accident, however, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we had to be powerful, first to protect yourself, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and that's why everyone understands 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 helped my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he faces lack the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, trainers grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly capable competing against older players because of his background in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's history to train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should let all the young players play right now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current starters. I believe the young guys are more motivated than the current squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything quicker than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days honing his MMA skills at a local gym.

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC championship bout.

"I would never have thought I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim says.

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

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

Fresh from training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not stop him from sometimes fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, much like 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.

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

"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."