🔗 Share this article Those Brothers from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and at Manchester United. Ibragim Ibragimov began his professional MMA career in the year 2021. Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he considers how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago. "I adore it here," the PFL athlete remarks. "My father and I always comment, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'" The young man left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional prospects for him and his siblings. The original plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete their education before joining one of the nation's universities. But, life has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov household. Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is viewed as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization. His siblings have taken a separate route in sport and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the senior squad. "The primary goal for us is to squeeze everything out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim. "I desire 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." Starting as Grapplers to Football Prodigies Three of Ibragim's siblings, including Amir (left), have been joined Manchester United. Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among fight fans for generating a number of UFC champions in recent years. The area has a long tradition in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world winners. This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk. "As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, first to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim. "Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's why everyone knows 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 helped my younger brothers a great deal." "Many of the players he comes up against lack the identical base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and really competitive – due to wrestling." Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, coaches placed him with boys significantly older. He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly comfortable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling. "They believed Amir and I were the same age, apparently," says Ibragim. Amir was signed, together with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad. The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines consequently. "They played Manchester United in a competition and Amir scored a brilliant free-kick," says Ibragim. "One of their talent spotters watched him play and selected him straight away." Six years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he achieved this 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 allow all the youthful players play now." "In my opinion they would play worse than the current first-team players. I think the young guys are more motivated than the present first-team players." Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United. "Gazik, this youngster is talented," continues Ibragim. "He picked up every skill quicker than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United." 'A Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford Ibragimov has been training with the Nurmagomedovs – Usman (centre) and Khabib (right) in Dagestan. Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days perfecting his MMA skills at Manchester Top Team. In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC championship bout. "I would never have thought I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim admits. "He was the best fighter in the world – and we constantly used to idolize him when we were growing up." "Today, I'm here in his gym and sparring alongside 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 fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers. "I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says. "Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's similar to a fantasy realized." "A fight at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they could do it. It would be enormous."
Ibragim Ibragimov began his professional MMA career in the year 2021. Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he considers how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago. "I adore it here," the PFL athlete remarks. "My father and I always comment, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'" The young man left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional prospects for him and his siblings. The original plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete their education before joining one of the nation's universities. But, life has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov household. Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is viewed as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization. His siblings have taken a separate route in sport and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the senior squad. "The primary goal for us is to squeeze everything out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim. "I desire 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." Starting as Grapplers to Football Prodigies Three of Ibragim's siblings, including Amir (left), have been joined Manchester United. Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among fight fans for generating a number of UFC champions in recent years. The area has a long tradition in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world winners. This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk. "As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, first to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim. "Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's why everyone knows 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 helped my younger brothers a great deal." "Many of the players he comes up against lack the identical base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and really competitive – due to wrestling." Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, coaches placed him with boys significantly older. He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly comfortable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling. "They believed Amir and I were the same age, apparently," says Ibragim. Amir was signed, together with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad. The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines consequently. "They played Manchester United in a competition and Amir scored a brilliant free-kick," says Ibragim. "One of their talent spotters watched him play and selected him straight away." Six years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he achieved this 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 allow all the youthful players play now." "In my opinion they would play worse than the current first-team players. I think the young guys are more motivated than the present first-team players." Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United. "Gazik, this youngster is talented," continues Ibragim. "He picked up every skill quicker than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United." 'A Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford Ibragimov has been training with the Nurmagomedovs – Usman (centre) and Khabib (right) in Dagestan. Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days perfecting his MMA skills at Manchester Top Team. In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC championship bout. "I would never have thought I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim admits. "He was the best fighter in the world – and we constantly used to idolize him when we were growing up." "Today, I'm here in his gym and sparring alongside 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 fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers. "I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says. "Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's similar to a fantasy realized." "A fight at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they could do it. It would be enormous."