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

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he considers how his clan's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League star remarks.

"We often comment, 'this is the nation I should have been born in.'"

The young man left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles would provide superior professional prospects for him and his brothers.

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

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

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

His siblings have taken a different route in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

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

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

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

The area has a rich history in wrestling, excelling in the sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

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

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we had to be powerful, first to protect ourselves, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and which is why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Some of the players he comes up against lack the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, trainers placed him with boys significantly older.

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

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

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

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

"They faced Manchester United in a competition and Amir scored a spectacular free-kick," recalls Ibragim.

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to allow all the young players get game time now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I believe the young guys are hungrier than the current squad members."

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

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

"He learned everything faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to 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 sharpening his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC championship bout.

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

"He was the best fighter in the world – and we constantly used to look up to 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 no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not prevent him from sometimes fantasizing of representing United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

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

"An event 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 huge."