Those Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his clan's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I am fond of it here," the Professional Fighters League competitor remarks.

"My father and I often comment, 'this was the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior career 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 their education before enrolling in one of the country's colleges.

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

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

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

"The primary goal for us is to extract the maximum out of our sports," says Ibragim.

"I hope them to play for all of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a another team."

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical reputation among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a rich tradition in grappling, thriving in the sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is no accident, however, as youth from the region are often pushed to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to defend ourselves, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my younger brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he faces lack the same base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really competitive – because of wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, coaches grouped him with boys significantly 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, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

Amir was signed, together with Ibragim's younger 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 talent and he moved over the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their scouts watched him play and picked him immediately."

Half a dozen years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's history to train with the senior side when he did so 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? Absolutely. They need to let all the youthful players play right now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing starters. I believe the young guys are hungrier than the present first-team players."

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

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

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

'The Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days perfecting his MMA abilities at a local gym.

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC championship bout.

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

"He was the best fighter in the world – and we always used to idolize him when we were growing up."

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

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

However that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

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

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