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

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

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League star remarks.

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

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional prospects for him and his brothers.

The initial plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish their education before enrolling in one of the country's colleges.

But, reality has turned out somewhat different for the Ibragimov household.

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

His brothers have chosen a different path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the senior squad.

"Our key thing for us is to extract the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a long tradition in grappling, thriving in the sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, though, as youth from the region are often pushed to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

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

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

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he faces don't have the identical base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly competitive – due to wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, coaches grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was more than comfortable 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 learned of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for 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 says.

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

"I don't think they would play worse than the current first-team players. I believe the youngsters are hungrier 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," adds Ibragim.

"He learned every skill quicker than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening 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 imagined I would be learning 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 sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

Recently working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is desperate to win a world title of his own someday.

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

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

"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a dream come true."

"An event 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."