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 family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL star declares.

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

The 21-year-old left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles offered better career prospects for him and his siblings.

The initial 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 country's universities.

However, reality now looks quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is viewed as one of the leading talents in the PFL, a leading MMA league.

His siblings have taken a different path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the senior squad.

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

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

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight fans for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a rich history in grappling, thriving in the sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

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

"So we all became accustomed to fighting, and which is why everyone knows 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; obviously, it assisted my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he comes up against lack the same foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly 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 placed him with boys five years older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly capable competing against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

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

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

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

"One of their scouts 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 records to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the existing first-team players. I think the young guys are more motivated than the present first-team players."

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

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

"He learned every skill quicker than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting 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 greatest 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 titleholders from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is eager to win a world title of his own one day.

However that does not stop him from occasionally 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 constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

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

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