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

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he considers how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I love it here," the PFL star remarks.

"My father and I frequently say, 'this is the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a move covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

The initial 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 colleges.

But, life now looks somewhat different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is seen as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a leading MMA league.

His brothers have chosen a different path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a place in the first team.

"The primary thing for us is to squeeze the maximum from our sports," says Ibragim.

"I want them to represent all of the finest teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it might be a different team."

Starting as Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The region has a rich history in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This success is no accident, however, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he comes up against lack the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really competitive – due to wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, trainers grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than capable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters watched him play and picked him immediately."

Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the senior side 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? Without a doubt. They should let all the youthful players play right now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the current squad members."

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

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

"He picked up everything quicker 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 Fight at Old Trafford

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

In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC title fight.

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

"He was the greatest 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."

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is desperate to win a world title of his own one day.

However that does not prevent him from sometimes dreaming of representing United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I always 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."

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they could do it. It would be enormous."