Those Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he thinks about how his clan's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

"We often say, 'this is the country I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles promised superior career prospects 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 enrolling in one of the country's colleges.

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

Ibragim is now a pro MMA athlete and is seen as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a different route in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

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

"I desire them to play for every one of the finest teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it could be a another team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC champions in the past few years.

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

This success is no accident, however, as children from the region are often pushed to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was always instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and which is why people understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my little brothers a lot."

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

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

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was more than capable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

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

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

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

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

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

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's records to train with the senior side 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 should let all the young players play right now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the current squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything faster than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and dedicates 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 title fight.

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

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

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

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

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

"Today, 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 guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be huge."