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

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

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

"My father and I frequently say, 'this is the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered 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 complete school before enrolling in one of the nation's universities.

But, reality now looks slightly distinct for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA athlete and is regarded as one of the top talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His brothers have chosen a separate path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the first team.

"The primary thing for us is to extract everything from our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

"I desire them to represent all of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it could be a another team."

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among fight fans for generating a host of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a long tradition in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

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

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

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

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

"Some of the players he comes up against lack the same foundation he has. That's why he's solid, strong and really 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 unfazed by the oversight and was more than capable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," says Ibragim.

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records to train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'Here 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 young players get game time right now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I think the youngsters are more motivated than the present squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days perfecting his MMA skills 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 late-year UFC title fight.

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

"He was the best 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."

Fresh from training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

But that does not prevent him from sometimes dreaming of playing for United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I had a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," 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 goal for me. I was speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be massive."