Those Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he reflects on how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

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

The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles would provide superior professional prospects for him and his siblings.

The original idea 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 colleges.

However, life has turned out slightly distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts athlete and is viewed as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His brothers have chosen a different route in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the first team.

"Our key thing for us is to squeeze the maximum from our sports," says Ibragim.

"I desire them to play for all of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team."

From Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among fight enthusiasts for generating a slew of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a long tradition in wrestling, thriving in the sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is no accident, however, as children from the region are frequently pushed to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

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

"Some of the players he faces lack the same base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and really driven – because of wrestling."

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

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

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

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

The family'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 over the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

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

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

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the present first-team players."

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

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

"He learned every skill faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

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

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare 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 look up to him when we were young."

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

Recently working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to win a world title of his own one day.

But that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of representing 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 legendary players," he says.

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they could do it. It would be enormous."