Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his family's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I adore it here," the PFL competitor remarks.

"We always say, 'this was the country I should have been born in.'"

The young man left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles would provide better career opportunities 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.

However, life now looks quite distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is regarded as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His siblings have taken a different path in athletics and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

"Our key goal for us is to squeeze the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

"I want them to play for all 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 Prodigies

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

The area has a long history in grappling, excelling in the sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is no accident, though, as youth from the region are frequently encouraged to begin fighting, specifically 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 strong, firstly to defend yourself, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why people understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my younger brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he comes up against don't have the same base 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, coaches grouped him with boys five years older.

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

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They should let all the young players play now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the existing first-team players. I think the young guys are more motivated than the present first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He learned 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 Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year UFC title fight.

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

"He was the best fighter in the world – and we always 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 dreaming of representing United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be huge."