Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his clan's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I love it here," the PFL athlete remarks.

"My father and I often say, 'this is the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles would provide better professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

But, life now looks quite different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts athlete and is viewed as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a different route in athletics and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the senior squad.

"The primary goal for us is to squeeze the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

"I want them to play for all of the best teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it might be a another team."

From Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among combat sports fans for generating a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a long tradition in wrestling, excelling in the sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

This success is no accident, though, as children from the region are often encouraged to take up combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was young, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, first to protect yourself, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

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

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

"Many of the footballers he comes up against don't have the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and really driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, coaches grouped him with boys significantly older.

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

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

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

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after signing for 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 spectacular free-kick," recalls Ibragim.

"One of their scouts watched 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 most youthful players in the club's records to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to let all the young players play now."

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

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

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

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

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

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

Fresh from training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to claim 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, much like his brothers.

"I owned 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 similar to 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 massive."