Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

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

"We often comment, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior 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 nation's universities.

But, life has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts fighter and is viewed as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His brothers have taken a separate path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the first team.

"The main goal for us is to extract the maximum out of our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I desire them to represent all of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it might be a different team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

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

The area has a long history in wrestling, thriving in the sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are often pushed to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, first to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to combat, and which is 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; obviously, it assisted my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he faces don't have the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really competitive – because of wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, trainers grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than comfortable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

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

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to allow all the young players get game time right now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current starters. I believe the young guys are more motivated than the present squad members."

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

"Gazik, this youngster is talented," continues 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 Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

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

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

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

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

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

Recently working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

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 owned 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 similar to a dream come true."

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be enormous."