BROTHERLY GLOVE
My brothers are signed to Man Utd and one scored for England… but I’m a star in MMA training with UFC legends
MMA star revealed his own football background
THE IBRAGIMOV brothers are ones to watch on the football field - but eldest Ibragimov is the one not to mess with.
Brothers Amir, 16, Gazik, 15, and Muhammad, 12, are making waves at Manchester United's academy and deemed stars of the future.
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Amir has even trained with the first-team and scored for England at Under 15 and 16 level.
Although the eldest in the talnted Ibragimov clan is Ibragim, who is not a footballer but instead an undefeated MMA fighter.
Ibragim hung up his boots after being released by City to instead focus on MMA - where he is now signed by the Professional Fighters League.
He told : "Amir is at that stage where he's about to get signed. In my vision, he should be like a first team player.
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"Gazik is upcoming as well but I want to keep Muhammad for where he is right now because he is too young and I don't want to put a lot of pressure on him, but they will all make it one day.
"I was playing football as well and was really good at it. I was playing for Man City and I was around 15 and about to get signed, but they didn't sign me.
"I was doing MMA and football at the same time, so I started to focus on MMA."
Ibragim is his brothers' biggest fans and regularly supports their football careers online - and tipped youngest Amir as a future fighter in the making.
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He said: "Amir can fight too, if you sign him today to PFL he will be fighting. He is very strong and can wrestle.";
Ibragim had an undefeated 7-0 amateur career with now six wins as a pro.
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He is now signed to the PFL and returns on Saturday in Newcastle against Welshman Josh Reed.
Ibragim trains at Manchester Top Team with the likes of UFC featherweight Lerone Murphy and ex-PFL champion Brendan Loughnane.
But he regularly returns to his native Dagestan where he is mentored by MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Ibragim said: "I have never rolled with Khabib but I have a really good relationship with him.
"He gives me a lot of respect and it's usually hard to be so humble when you're at his stage.
"I think if Khabib went back to the UFC he would definitely take back the belt again, he can compete at that level again.
"Khabib is just really good, the control and pressure he brings is on a different level."
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