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

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

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

"My father and I always say, 'this was the country I should have been born in.'"

The young man left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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

But, reality now looks quite different for the Ibragimov household.

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

His siblings have chosen a different route in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the first team.

"The main goal for us is to extract everything from our sports," says Ibragim.

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

From Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical reputation among fight fans for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a long tradition in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, though, as youth from the region are frequently encouraged to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was young, my dad was always instructing me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, first to protect yourself, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to combat, and that's why people understands 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 footballers he comes up against lack the identical base he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

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

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

"They thought Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

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

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

"One of their talent spotters saw 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 most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should allow all the youthful players get game time right now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I believe the young guys are hungrier than the present first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy 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 good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

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

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

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

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

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

But that does not stop him from sometimes fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to 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 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 make it happen. It would be huge."