The Siblings from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his clan's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete declares.

"My father and I often remark, 'this was the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better career prospects for him and his siblings.

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

However, reality now looks slightly distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is regarded as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His siblings have chosen a different path in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the senior squad.

"Our key goal for us is to extract everything from our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

"I want them to play for all of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a different team."

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

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

The area has a rich tradition in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

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

"When I was a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he faces don't have the identical foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, strong 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 unfazed by the oversight and was more than capable competing against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

Amir was signed, 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 became aware of Amir's talent and he transferred over the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their scouts saw him play and selected him straight away."

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They should let all the youthful players get game time now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current starters. I believe the young guys are more motivated than the current first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

"Gazik, this kid is gifted," adds Ibragim.

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

'A Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

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

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

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

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

Recently training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

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

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

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