The Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his clan's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

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

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

The young man departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered superior professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

The original plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete school before enrolling in one of the country's colleges.

But, reality now looks quite different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts athlete and is seen as one of the top talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His siblings have chosen a separate path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a spot in the first team.

"The primary goal for us is to extract the maximum from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

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

Starting as Grapplers to Football Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among fight fans for producing a number of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a long tradition in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

This success is no accident, though, as children from the region are often encouraged to take up combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"When I was a kid, my dad was always instructing me and my little brothers that we had to be powerful, first to protect ourselves, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why people 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 helped my little brothers a lot."

"Some of the footballers he faces don't have the identical base he has. That's why he's solid, powerful and really driven – due to 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 thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should let all the youthful players get game time right now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing starters. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the present first-team players."

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

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

"He learned every skill faster than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

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

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

"He was the greatest fighter in the world – and we always used to look up to him when we were young."

"Today, I'm here in his gym and sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

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

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

"I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring goals with legendary players," he says.

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

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they could do it. It would be massive."