Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he considers how his clan's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

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

"My father and I frequently remark, 'this is the nation 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 move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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

But, life now looks quite distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

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

"Our key goal for us is to squeeze the maximum from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

"I desire them to represent all of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it could be a another team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among combat sports fans for generating a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a long history in grappling, thriving in the sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, however, as youth from the region are often encouraged to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to combat, and which is why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it benefited my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he faces don't have the same base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really competitive – due to wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, trainers placed him with boys five years older.

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

"They believed Amir and I were the same 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 short-lived, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Half a dozen 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 senior side when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should let all the young players get game time 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 latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also 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 get ready for a November 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 always used to idolize him when we were growing up."

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

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

However that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like 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 says.

"Now, 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 speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they would do it. It would be massive."