Those Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his clan's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League star states.

"My father and I frequently comment, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional opportunities for him and his brothers.

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

But, reality now looks slightly distinct for the Ibragimov family.

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

His brothers have chosen a different path in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a place in the senior squad.

"The primary thing for us is to extract the maximum out of our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I desire them to play for every one of the finest teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a another team."

From Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC champions in the past few years.

The area has a rich tradition in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

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

"When I was young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, firstly to protect yourself, your relatives, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and which is why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Some of the players he comes up against don't have the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, trainers placed him with boys significantly older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was more than comfortable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

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

Amir was recruited, together with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The family's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

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 history to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to 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 less effectively than the current first-team players. I believe the young guys are more motivated than the present squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He learned everything quicker than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days perfecting his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

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

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

"He was the best fighter in the world – and we always used to look up to him when we were growing up."

"Today, I'm here in his gym and sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

Fresh from training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is desperate to win a world title of his own someday.

But that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I always 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 dream come true."

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be massive."