The Siblings from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his clan's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

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

"We always say, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better professional opportunities 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 nation's universities.

However, reality has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA athlete and is viewed as one of the leading talents in the PFL, a leading MMA league.

His brothers have taken a different path in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the first team.

"The primary thing for us is to squeeze everything out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Prodigies

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

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

This success is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to protect yourself, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Many of the footballers he faces don't have the same base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

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

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

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently," 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 joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he transferred over the Pennines as a result.

"They faced Manchester United in a competition and Amir netted a brilliant free-kick," says Ibragim.

"One of their scouts saw him play and selected him straight away."

Half a dozen years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to allow 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 hungrier than the current squad members."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

"Gazik, this kid is gifted," adds Ibragim.

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

'A Goal' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

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, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC championship bout.

"I would never have thought I would be training under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

"He was the best fighter in the world – and we constantly used to look up to 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 claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of representing United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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

"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a fantasy realized."

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be enormous."