Russia, and especially the Dagestan region of the country, has long produced some of the world’s top combat sports legends. Many fighters, however, moved abroad at a tender age with their families in search of better opportunities. Fighters like Muhammad Mokaev and Nassourdine Imavov now live in Europe while proudly carrying Dagestan’s flag on the international stage. Following in their footsteps, 21-year-old Ibragim Ibragimov is now carving out his own path in combat sports.

After moving from Dagestan as a teenager, he quickly made a name for himself on the British MMA scene. Today, he holds an unbeaten professional record and is thriving in the PFL, with six of his eight wins coming by submission or knockout. At the same time, his younger brothers have challenged the stereotype of Dagestani fighters by taking a different route.

From Dagestan to the UK: Ibragim Ibragimov on his family’s big move

Right now, 21-year-old Ibragim Ibragimov is the only undefeated Dagestani phenom after Khabib Nurmagomedov and Usman Nurmagomedov, who remain unbeaten in their careers. Unlike the duo, Ibragim grew up in the UK. He moved to England in 2017 at around 13 years old and, since then, has never regretted the decision. In fact, he and his family embrace it fully.

“I love it here,” he says. “My dad and I always say, ‘This is the country I should have been born in,'” Ibragim Ibragimov told BBC Sport.

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Meanwhile, Ibragim’s three younger brothers, Amir Ibragimov (17), Gazik Ibragimov (15), and Muhammad (Mo) Ibragimov (12–13), train at Manchester City’s academy and are carving their own paths.

“The main thing for us is to get the most out of our sports. I want my brothers to play for the best teams in the world. Today it might be Man Utd, tomorrow it could be another team. When I was a kid, my dad always told me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, first to protect ourselves, our family, and our friends,” Ibragim Ibragimov added.

Notably, Amir made history earlier this year when he signed his first professional contract with Manchester United, just before turning 17 in April 2025.

Ibragimov explains how wrestling gave his brothers an advantage in football

Ibragim Ibragimov began his sports journey in football and tried out for Manchester City several times. However, he eventually chose MMA, feeling it was “too late” for him to focus on football. Today, he dominates in the MMA just like Khabib Nurmagomedov, while his younger brother Amir, often called the next “Wayne Rooney,” excels in football, a path Ibragim fully supports.

Although Amir once showed the potential of a wrestling prodigy, hinting at the next generation of MMA fighters, fate took him in a different direction. In the end, Manchester United signed him, and his wrestling background has clearly helped him stand out.

“So 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 see the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped my little brothers a lot.”

“Some of the footballers he comes up against don’t have the same base he has. That’s why he’s stocky, strong and really competitive – because of wrestling.” Ibragim Ibragimov revealed.

Amir Ibragimov is steadily climbing the ranks, and this 17-year-old phenom carries high expectations from his older brother.

“Do you know what he said to me? ‘This is where I belong’. Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%.” Ibragim Ibragimov said.

Although he now lives in England as a British citizen and represents England, he can still play for Russia alongside his brother. At the same time, his development continues to impress.

“Gazik, this kid is talented. He picked up everything quicker than everyone else. He’s a good defender. He’s going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man Utd,” the 21-year-old MMA star said about his other brother.

Ibragimov on learning from Khabib and Islam Makhachev

Ibragim Ibragimov comes from Dagestan, but he trains with Team Khabib only occasionally, helping them out and receiving guidance in return. At the same time, he currently trains under the Manchester Top Team. “Manchester Top Team is my first team, where I started from, where I belong,” he told DAZN back in the summer.

Earlier this August, Ibragim traveled to Dagestan and helped Islam Makhachev prepare for his welterweight debut against Jack Della Maddalena in a title fight at UFC 322.

“I would never have thought I would be training under Khabib. 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,” Ibragim Ibragimov said about his experience with Team Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Even while training in MMA and working with legends at top gyms, Ibragim continues to chase his dream of playing for Manchester United and stepping onto the pitch at Old Trafford, just like his younger brothers.

In fact, he added, “I had a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man Utd on PES, scoring with [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Wayne] Rooney, and [Carlos] Tevez. Now, for my brothers to be Man Utd players, it’s like a dream come true. A fight at Old Trafford? It’s a dream for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be huge.”

And indeed, it would be. Watching Ibragim Ibragimov and his three brothers rise together is a rare sight, something only a few sibling pairs, like Jon Jones and his brother, have achieved. What do you think about Ibragim Ibragimov and his family’s rise? Share your thoughts below.