The Siblings from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his family's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

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

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

The 21-year-old departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a relocation covering 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 complete their education before joining one of the country's colleges.

But, reality has turned out somewhat different for the Ibragimov household.

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

His brothers have taken a different path in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the senior squad.

"The main thing for us is to extract the maximum from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are often encouraged to take up combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was young, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to defend yourself, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to fighting, and that's why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my little brothers a great deal."

"Many of the footballers he faces don't have the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly competitive – due to wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, coaches grouped him with boys five years older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was more than capable holding his own against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," says Ibragim.

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

The family'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 as a result.

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

"One of their scouts watched him play and picked 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 records to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he told me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing first-team players. I think the young guys are hungrier than the present first-team players."

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

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

"He picked up every skill quicker than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

In August, he passed three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC title fight.

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

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

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

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

However that does not stop him from sometimes dreaming of representing United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring goals with legendary players," he recalls.

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

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