Those Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his family's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I love it here," the PFL athlete declares.

"We always comment, '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 would provide better professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

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

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

His brothers have taken a different route in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the first team.

"The main goal for us is to squeeze everything from 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 might be a another team."

From Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among fight enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC champions in the past few years.

The area has a rich history in grappling, excelling in the sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

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

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"Therefore 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 see the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he comes up against lack the identical base he has. That's why he's solid, strong and really driven – because of wrestling."

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

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

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

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred over the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest 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? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to allow all the youthful players get game time right now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the existing first-team players. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the present squad members."

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

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

"He picked up every skill quicker than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

In August, he passed three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year UFC championship bout.

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

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

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

However that does not prevent him from sometimes fantasizing 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 recalls.

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

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