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

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his clan's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

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

The 21-year-old departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better 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 complete school before joining one of the country's universities.

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

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His brothers have chosen a different path in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the senior squad.

"Our key thing for us is to squeeze the maximum out of our sports," says Ibragim.

"I want them to represent all of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it might be a another team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

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

The area has a long history in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

This success is no accident, though, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to protect yourself, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Many of the players he comes up against don't have the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and really competitive – due to wrestling."

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

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

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," says Ibragim.

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

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

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

"One of their talent spotters saw him play and selected him immediately."

Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's history to train with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to allow all the young players play now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current first-team players. I think the youngsters are more motivated than the current first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned everything quicker than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA skills 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 never have thought I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim says.

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

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

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

But that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed 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.

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

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be huge."