Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and at Man Utd.

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

"I adore it here," the PFL athlete remarks.

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

The young man left his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered better professional opportunities 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 nation's colleges.

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

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is seen as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His brothers have chosen a separate route in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the senior squad.

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

"I desire them to represent all of the best teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight enthusiasts for generating a number of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The region has a long tradition in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

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

"When I was young, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, firstly to protect ourselves, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"So we all got used to fighting, and that's why people understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he comes up against lack the identical foundation he has. That's why he's solid, powerful and incredibly competitive – due to wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was perfectly capable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

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

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

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

"One of their scouts saw him play and picked him immediately."

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he said to me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to let all the young players play now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current starters. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the current squad members."

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

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

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

'A Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

In August, he passed three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC championship bout.

"I never have imagined 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 young."

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

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is desperate to win a world title of his own one day.

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

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

"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a dream come true."

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