The Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he considers how his family's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I love it here," the PFL athlete states.

"We frequently remark, 'this was the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered better career opportunities for him and his siblings.

The original idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish their education before joining one of the nation's colleges.

However, reality has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is regarded as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a different path in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the senior squad.

"Our key thing for us is to extract the maximum from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

"I hope them to represent all of the finest teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it might be a different team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports fans for generating a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a long history in grappling, thriving in the sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are often pushed to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we had to be powerful, first to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my younger brothers a great deal."

"Many of the players he comes up against lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, coaches grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was more than comfortable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently," says Ibragim.

Amir was signed, along with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as only 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 tournament and Amir netted a brilliant free-kick," says Ibragim.

"One of their talent spotters watched him play and picked him straight away."

Half a dozen 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 records to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Do you know what he told me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to allow all the youthful players play right now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing starters. I believe the young guys are more motivated than the current first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

"Gazik, this kid is talented," adds Ibragim.

"He picked up every skill quicker than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and spends most of his days honing his MMA skills at a local gym.

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

"I would never have imagined I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

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

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

Fresh from training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I always 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 fantasy realized."

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they could do it. It would be huge."