Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he considers how his clan's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL star declares.

"We often say, 'this is the nation I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better career prospects for him and his brothers.

The original idea 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 slightly different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA fighter and is seen as one of the top talents in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His siblings have chosen a separate path in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the first team.

"Our key goal for us is to squeeze everything from our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I want them to play for all of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it might be a another team."

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among combat sports fans for generating a host of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a long tradition in grappling, thriving in the sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are frequently pushed to take up combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, first to protect yourself, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it benefited my little brothers a great deal."

"Many of the players he comes up against don't have the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and really driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was only 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 not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly comfortable holding his own against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

Amir was signed, together with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred over the Pennines as a result.

"They faced Manchester United in a competition and Amir netted a brilliant free-kick," recalls Ibragim.

"One of their scouts watched him play and selected him immediately."

Six years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's history to practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'This is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to allow all the youthful players get game time now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I think the young guys are more motivated than the current first-team players."

Since then, 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 everything quicker than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days honing his MMA skills at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC championship bout.

"I would never have thought I would be training under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

"He was the best fighter in the world – and we constantly used to idolize him when we were young."

"Now, I'm here in his gym and training with Islam Makhachev."

Fresh from training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is eager to claim a world title of his own one day.

But that does not prevent him from sometimes fantasizing of playing for United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring goals with legendary players," he says.

"Today, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a fantasy realized."

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be enormous."