The Brothers from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his clan's life has transformed since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League star states.

"We always say, 'this is the nation I should have been born in.'"

The young man departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered better career prospects for him and his siblings.

The initial idea 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.

However, life has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov family.

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

His brothers have taken a separate path in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the senior squad.

"The primary goal for us is to squeeze everything from our sports," says Ibragim.

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

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a long tradition in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is no accident, though, as children from the region are frequently pushed to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to protect yourself, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and which is why people understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it assisted my younger brothers a great deal."

"Many of the players he comes up against don't have the same foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly competitive – 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 significantly older.

He was unfazed by the mistake and was perfectly comfortable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," remarks 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 joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Half a dozen 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 practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to let all the youthful players get game time now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing starters. I think the young guys are hungrier than the current 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," continues Ibragim.

"He learned everything faster than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at a local gym.

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

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

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

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

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

But that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed 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 legendary players," he says.

"Today, 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 discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be huge."