Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his family's life has transformed since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL star remarks.

"My father and I 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 promised superior career prospects for him and his brothers.

The initial idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish their education before enrolling in one of the country's universities.

However, life now looks somewhat different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is regarded as one of the leading talents in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His siblings have chosen a different path in sport and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the first team.

"Our key goal for us is to squeeze everything from our sports," says Ibragim.

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

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a long tradition in grappling, excelling in the sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

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

"When I was young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, first to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your companions," says Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped my younger brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he faces lack the identical base he has. That's why he's stocky, strong and really driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, coaches grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than capable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

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

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's history to train with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to allow all the young players play now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing first-team players. I believe the young guys are hungrier than the present squad members."

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

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

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

'A Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a November 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 growing up."

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

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

But that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like 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 similar to a fantasy realized."

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