The Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he considers how his clan's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL competitor declares.

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

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

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

But, reality now looks somewhat different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a separate path in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

"Our key goal for us is to squeeze everything from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

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

From Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a number of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a rich history in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are often pushed to take up combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to fighting, and which is why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Many of the players he faces lack the same base he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, trainers grouped him with boys five years older.

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was more than comfortable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved over the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's records to train with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to let all the youthful players play now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing first-team players. I think the youngsters are more motivated than the current squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything faster than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends 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, 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 constantly used to idolize him when we were young."

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

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

However that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for 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 legendary players," he recalls.

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be massive."