Those Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League star states.

"We always say, 'this was the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better career prospects for him and his brothers.

The initial idea 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 colleges.

However, reality now looks quite different for the Ibragimov family.

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

His brothers have taken a different route in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the senior squad.

"The primary goal for us is to squeeze the maximum from our sports," says Ibragim.

"I hope them to represent every one of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it might be a another team."

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among fight fans for generating a number of UFC champions in the past few years.

The region has a rich history in wrestling, thriving in the sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world winners.

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

"As a young, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

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

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

"Many of the players he faces lack the same foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, 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, trainers grouped him with boys five years older.

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

"They thought Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

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

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

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

"One of their talent spotters saw him play and selected him immediately."

Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's history to train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I believe the young guys are hungrier 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 gifted," adds Ibragim.

"He picked up every skill faster than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

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

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC championship bout.

"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 growing up."

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

Recently training 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 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 Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," 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 ambition for me. I was speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be massive."