The Brothers from Dagestan Excelling in MMA and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his clan's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

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

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

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional prospects for him and his siblings.

The original idea 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 colleges.

However, life has turned out quite different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA athlete and is viewed as one of the top talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His brothers have taken a separate path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the first team.

"The primary goal for us is to extract the maximum from our sports," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a rich tradition in wrestling, 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 often pushed to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

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

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

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he faces don't have the identical foundation 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. Not knowing of his real age, coaches placed him with boys five years older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly comfortable holding his own against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their scouts watched him play and selected him immediately."

Six years after joining 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 did so in April 2023.

"Know what he said to me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

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

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

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

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

"He learned every skill quicker than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also 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 native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC championship bout.

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

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

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

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

However that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and walking 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 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 goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be massive."