Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and at Manchester United.

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

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League competitor states.

"My father and I frequently say, 'this was the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a move covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

However, life now looks quite different for the Ibragimov household.

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

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

"The main goal for us is to extract everything from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

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

From Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among fight fans for producing a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

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

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are often pushed to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a young, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to defend yourself, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's 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; obviously, it assisted my little brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he comes up against lack the identical base he has. That's why he's solid, strong and really driven – 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, coaches placed him with boys five years older.

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

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," says Ibragim.

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

The clan's stay 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 moved over the Pennines as a result.

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

"One of their scouts saw him play and picked him straight away."

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

"Know what he said to me? 'This is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to let all the youthful players play right now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the current first-team players. I think the young guys are more motivated than the present first-team players."

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

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

"He picked up every skill quicker than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA skills at a local gym.

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC title fight.

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

"He was the greatest fighter in the world – and we constantly used to idolize him when we were young."

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

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is eager to win a world title of his own one day.

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

"I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly 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 fantasy realized."

"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 massive."