Those Siblings from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and with Man Utd.

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

"I am fond of it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete states.

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

The young man left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior career prospects for him and his brothers.

The original plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish school before enrolling in one of the nation's universities.

But, life now looks somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is viewed as one of the leading talents in the PFL, a major MMA league.

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

"Our key thing for us is to squeeze the maximum out of our sports," says Ibragim.

"I hope them to represent all of the finest teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a another team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among fight enthusiasts for generating a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a rich history in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is no accident, however, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we had to be powerful, first to protect yourself, your relatives, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Many of the players he comes up against don't have the identical base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and really competitive – due to wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than capable holding his own against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as just 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 tournament and Amir scored a spectacular free-kick," says Ibragim.

"One of their scouts 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 became one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he said to me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current starters. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the current 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 gifted," continues Ibragim.

"He learned everything faster than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Dream' to Compete 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, assisting 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 greatest fighter in the world – and we always used to look up to him when we were young."

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

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

But that does not prevent him from sometimes dreaming of representing United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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

"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 speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be enormous."