🔗 Share this article The Brothers from Dagestan Excelling in MMA and with Manchester United. Ibragim Ibragimov embarked on his professional MMA journey in 2021. Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he considers how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017. "I adore it here," the PFL competitor remarks. "My father and I always comment, 'this is the country I ought to have been born in.'" The young man departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered better professional prospects for him and his brothers. The initial plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete their education before joining one of the country's universities. But, life has turned out quite different for the Ibragimov household. Ibragim is now a professional MMA fighter and is seen as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a leading MMA league. His siblings have chosen a separate path in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the first team. "Our key thing for us is to squeeze the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim. "I want them to play for every one of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team." From Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies Three of Ibragim's brothers, featuring Amir (left), have been signed by Manchester United. Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight fans for producing a host of UFC titleholders in recent years. The region has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world champions. This success is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are often encouraged to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand. "When I was a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend yourself, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim. "Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising." "Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my younger brothers a great deal." "Some of the players he comes up against lack the same foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, 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 five years older. He was not intimidated by the oversight and was perfectly capable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling. "They believed Amir and I were the same age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim. Amir was signed, together with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad. The family's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently. "They played Manchester United in a tournament and Amir netted a spectacular free-kick," says Ibragim. "One of their talent spotters watched him play and picked him immediately." Six 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 practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023. "Know what he told me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals. "Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to allow all the young players play now." "I don't think they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the current first-team players." Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United. "Gazik, this youngster is gifted," continues Ibragim. "He picked up everything faster than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United." 'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford Ibragimov has been training with the Nurmagomedovs – Usman (centre) and Khabib (right) in Dagestan. Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team. In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC title fight. "I never have imagined I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim says. "He was the best fighter in the world – and we always used to look up to him when we were growing up." "Now, I'm here in his gym and training with Islam Makhachev." Recently working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is desperate to claim a world title of his own one day. But that does not stop him from sometimes fantasizing of playing for United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers. "I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with legendary players," he recalls. "Today, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a dream come true." "A fight at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be enormous."
Ibragim Ibragimov embarked on his professional MMA journey in 2021. Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he considers how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017. "I adore it here," the PFL competitor remarks. "My father and I always comment, 'this is the country I ought to have been born in.'" The young man departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered better professional prospects for him and his brothers. The initial plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete their education before joining one of the country's universities. But, life has turned out quite different for the Ibragimov household. Ibragim is now a professional MMA fighter and is seen as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a leading MMA league. His siblings have chosen a separate path in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the first team. "Our key thing for us is to squeeze the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim. "I want them to play for every one of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team." From Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies Three of Ibragim's brothers, featuring Amir (left), have been signed by Manchester United. Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight fans for producing a host of UFC titleholders in recent years. The region has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world champions. This success is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are often encouraged to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand. "When I was a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend yourself, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim. "Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising." "Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my younger brothers a great deal." "Some of the players he comes up against lack the same foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, 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 five years older. He was not intimidated by the oversight and was perfectly capable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling. "They believed Amir and I were the same age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim. Amir was signed, together with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad. The family's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently. "They played Manchester United in a tournament and Amir netted a spectacular free-kick," says Ibragim. "One of their talent spotters watched him play and picked him immediately." Six 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 practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023. "Know what he told me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals. "Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to allow all the young players play now." "I don't think they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the current first-team players." Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United. "Gazik, this youngster is gifted," continues Ibragim. "He picked up everything faster than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United." 'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford Ibragimov has been training with the Nurmagomedovs – Usman (centre) and Khabib (right) in Dagestan. Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team. In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC title fight. "I never have imagined I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim says. "He was the best fighter in the world – and we always used to look up to him when we were growing up." "Now, I'm here in his gym and training with Islam Makhachev." Recently working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is desperate to claim a world title of his own one day. But that does not stop him from sometimes fantasizing of playing for United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers. "I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with legendary players," he recalls. "Today, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a dream come true." "A fight at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be enormous."