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

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he considers how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

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

"We often comment, '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 believed a move covering more than 3,000 miles offered better career opportunities for him and his brothers.

The original idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete school before joining one of the nation's colleges.

However, reality has turned out somewhat different for the Ibragimov household.

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

His siblings have taken a separate route in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the first team.

"The main goal for us is to squeeze the maximum out of our sports," says Ibragim.

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

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC champions in the past few years.

The area has a rich tradition in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is no accident, however, as children from the region are often pushed to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"So we all got used to fighting, and that's why people 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 younger brothers a lot."

"Some of the players he faces lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's records to train with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing first-team players. I believe the young guys are more motivated than the current squad members."

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

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

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

'A Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days perfecting his MMA abilities at a local gym.

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year UFC title fight.

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

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

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

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

However that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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

"Today, 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 make it happen. It would be massive."