Those Brothers from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and with Man Utd.
Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he considers how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.
"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League competitor remarks.
"We often comment, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"
The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles promised better career prospects for him and his brothers.
The initial plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish their education before joining one of the country's universities.
However, reality now looks somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov family.
Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts fighter and is viewed as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.
His brothers have taken a different path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the first team.
"The main goal for us is to squeeze the maximum from our sports," says Ibragim.
"I want them to play for all of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it might be a different team."
From Grapplers to Football Talents
Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight fans for producing a slew of UFC champions in recent years.
The region has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.
This success is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.
"When I was a kid, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, first to protect ourselves, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.
"Therefore we all became accustomed 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 benefited my younger brothers a great deal."
"Some of the players he comes up against don't have the same base he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."
Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, trainers placed him with boys significantly older.
He was not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly capable holding his own against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.
"They thought Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," says Ibragim.
Amir was signed, along with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad.
The clan's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he transferred over the Pennines as a result.
"They played Manchester United in a tournament and Amir netted a brilliant free-kick," says Ibragim.
"One of their talent spotters watched him play and picked him immediately."
Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's history to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.
"Do you know what he said to me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim says.
"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to let all the youthful players play right now."
"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I think the youngsters are more motivated than the current squad members."
Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.
"Gazik, this youngster is gifted," continues Ibragim.
"He picked up every skill faster than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."
'A Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams
Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening his MMA skills at a local gym.
In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare 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 working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is desperate to win a world title of his own one day.
However that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and stepping 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 recalls.
"Today, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a fantasy realized."
"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be massive."
