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

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete declares.

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

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles would provide superior professional opportunities 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 joining one of the nation's universities.

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

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

His brothers have chosen a separate path in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

"The main goal for us is to extract the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical reputation among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a number of UFC champions in the past few years.

The region has a long tradition in wrestling, thriving in the sambo style and creating numerous Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is no accident, however, as youth from the region are often pushed to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed 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 assisted my little brothers a great deal."

"Many of the players he comes up against don't have the same base he has. That's why he's solid, powerful and incredibly competitive – due to wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, trainers placed him with boys significantly older.

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

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved over the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was 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 said to me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he 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 worse than the current first-team players. I believe the young guys are more motivated than the current squad members."

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

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

"He picked up every skill faster than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and spends 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, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC title fight.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Today, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a dream come true."

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