The Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I love it here," the PFL star remarks.

"We always remark, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The young man departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised better professional prospects for him and his siblings.

The initial idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete school before joining one of the nation's colleges.

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

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

His siblings have chosen a different route in sport and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the senior squad.

"The main thing for us is to extract the maximum out of our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I want them to play for every one of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it might be a another team."

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Talents

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

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

This achievement is no accident, however, as children from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and which is why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the footballers he faces lack the identical base he has. That's why he's solid, powerful and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was more than capable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Six years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They should let all the youthful players get game time now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I think the young guys are hungrier than the present squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

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

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

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

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

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

However that does not stop him from sometimes fantasizing of playing for United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like 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 would make it happen. It would be huge."