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

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

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

"My father and I always remark, 'this was the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior career opportunities for him and his siblings.

The original plan 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 colleges.

But, life now looks quite different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts athlete and is viewed as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His brothers have chosen a separate path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a place in the first team.

"The main thing for us is to squeeze everything out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

From Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among fight enthusiasts for generating a number of UFC champions in recent years.

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

This success is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are often encouraged to take up combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

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

"Therefore we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the footballers he comes up against don't have the identical base he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and really driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, trainers placed him with boys five years older.

He was unfazed by the mistake and was perfectly comfortable competing against older players because of his background in wrestling.

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

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

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

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

"One of their talent spotters 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 senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

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

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

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned everything faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and spends most of his days honing his MMA abilities 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 admits.

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

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

Fresh from working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own one day.

But that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of representing United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to 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 dream come true."

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