Those Siblings from Dagestan Excelling in MMA and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he reflects on how his clan's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL competitor states.

"We frequently comment, 'this was the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The young man departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide superior career opportunities for him and his brothers.

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

But, reality has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts athlete and is viewed as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a leading MMA league.

His siblings have taken a separate path in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the first team.

"The main thing for us is to extract everything from our sports," says Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a rich history in wrestling, excelling in the sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to defend yourself, your family, 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 very good wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my younger brothers a lot."

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

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

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

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

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware 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 immediately."

Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current first-team players. I think 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 made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'The Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and spends most of his days perfecting his MMA abilities at a local gym.

In August, he passed three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC title fight.

"I never have imagined 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."

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

Recently working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not stop him from sometimes dreaming of representing United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be enormous."