The Siblings from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his clan's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete states.

"My father and I often comment, 'this is the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered better professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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

But, life has turned out somewhat different for the Ibragimov family.

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

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

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

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

From Grapplers to Football Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among fight fans for producing a host of UFC titleholders in recent years.

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

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

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore 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 see the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he comes up against don't have the identical foundation he has. 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 five years older.

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than capable holding his own against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he transferred over the Pennines consequently.

"They played Manchester United in a competition and Amir netted a spectacular free-kick," says Ibragim.

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

Six years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's history to train with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They should let all the youthful players play now."

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

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

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

"He picked up everything quicker than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC title fight.

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

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

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

Recently working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

But that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I owned 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 similar to a dream come true."

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