The Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Manchester United.

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

"I am fond of it here," the PFL athlete states.

"We frequently remark, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered better career opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

But, life now looks slightly distinct for the Ibragimov household.

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

His siblings have taken a different path in athletics and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the first team.

"The primary thing for us is to squeeze everything from our chosen fields," explains 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 could be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among fight fans for producing a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a rich history in grappling, excelling in the sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are often encouraged to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, firstly to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"So we all got used to fighting, and that's why people understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the players he faces don't have the identical 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 being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, coaches grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was more than capable holding his own against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

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

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

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines consequently.

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

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

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 first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to let all the young players get game time now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the current squad members."

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

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

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

'A Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days honing his MMA skills at Manchester Top Team.

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

"I 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."

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

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

But that does not stop him from sometimes dreaming of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with legendary players," he says.

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

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they could do it. It would be massive."