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

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he considers how his clan's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I am fond of it here," the Professional Fighters League star states.

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

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior career prospects for him and his siblings.

The initial idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete their education before enrolling in one of the nation's universities.

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

Ibragim is now a pro MMA athlete and is regarded as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His brothers have taken a different path in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the first team.

"The primary goal for us is to squeeze everything out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among combat sports fans for generating a host of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a rich tradition in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, though, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's why people understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it assisted my little brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he comes up against lack the identical base he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and really driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, trainers grouped him with boys five years older.

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

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

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

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

"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 selected him straight away."

Half a dozen years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They should let all the youthful players get game time now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I believe the young guys are hungrier than the current squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have likewise transferred to Manchester United.

"Gazik, this youngster is gifted," continues Ibragim.

"He learned everything faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at a local gym.

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

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

"He was the best fighter in the world – and we constantly used to look up to 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 desperate to win a world title of his own someday.

But that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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

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

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