The Siblings from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and with Manchester United.

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

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

"My father and I always comment, 'this was the country I should 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 opportunities for him and his brothers.

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

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

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is seen as one of the top talents in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His brothers have chosen a separate path in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a place in the first team.

"The main goal for us is to squeeze everything from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

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

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a host of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a rich tradition in grappling, thriving in the sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"As a young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, first to defend ourselves, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

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

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

"Many of the footballers he comes up against lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

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

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

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's history to practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

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

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

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

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

"He learned every skill faster than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at a local gym.

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

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

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

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

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

However that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and walking out on the historic 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 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 ambition for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be huge."