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

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

"I adore it here," the PFL athlete declares.

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

The 21-year-old left his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles promised superior career prospects 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 enrolling in one of the country's universities.

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

Ibragim is now a professional MMA fighter and is viewed as one of the top talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His siblings have taken a separate path in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the first team.

"The main thing for us is to squeeze the maximum out of our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I want them to represent every one of the finest teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mythical reputation among fight enthusiasts for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a rich history in wrestling, excelling in the sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world winners.

This success is no accident, though, as children from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

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

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's why people 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; clearly, it helped my little brothers a lot."

"Some of the players he faces lack the same base he has. 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, trainers grouped him with boys five years older.

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

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

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's records to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They should let all the youthful players get game time now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I think the young guys are more motivated than the current first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter 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 the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening his MMA skills at a local gym.

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

"I would never have thought I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim says.

"He was the greatest 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."

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

However that does not prevent 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 constantly used to play as Man United, scoring goals with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," 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 goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be huge."