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

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he thinks about how his clan's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

"We frequently say, 'this is the nation I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles would provide better career opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

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

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts athlete and is regarded as one of the leading talents in the PFL, a leading MMA league.

His siblings have taken a different route in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the first team.

"The main thing for us is to squeeze everything from our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight fans for generating a host of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a rich tradition in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is no accident, though, as youth from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my little brothers a great deal."

"Many of the footballers he comes up against don't have the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful 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 placed him with boys five years older.

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

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," says Ibragim.

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he transferred over 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 selected him straight away."

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to train with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

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

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

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I think the young guys are more motivated than the current squad members."

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 youngster is talented," continues Ibragim.

"He picked up everything quicker than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days honing his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a late-year UFC title fight.

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

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

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

Fresh from working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is desperate to win a world title of his own one day.

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

"I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he recalls.

"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 goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be enormous."