The Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and at Manchester United.

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

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

"We always say, 'this was the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior professional prospects for him and his brothers.

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

However, life has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts athlete and is seen as one of the leading talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a separate path in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a spot in the senior squad.

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

"I want them to represent every one of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it might be a another team."

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a long tradition in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is no accident, though, as youth from the region are frequently encouraged to take up combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to defend yourself, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my younger brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he faces lack the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and really competitive – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was perfectly comfortable competing against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters watched him play and selected him straight away."

Six 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 records to train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current starters. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the current first-team players."

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

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

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

'A Goal' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and spends 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, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC championship bout.

"I would never have imagined I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

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

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

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

However that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of representing 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 Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he recalls.

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

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