Those Siblings from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and with Manchester United.

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

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

"My father and I frequently remark, 'this is 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 move covering more than 3,000 miles promised better professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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

However, reality has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

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

His brothers have chosen a separate route in athletics 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 the maximum from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

"I want them to represent all of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it might be a another team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

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

The region has a long history in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are frequently encouraged to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was young, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, first to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the footballers he faces lack the identical base he has. That's why he's solid, powerful and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, trainers placed him with boys significantly older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly comfortable holding his own against older players because of his background in wrestling.

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

Amir was recruited, together 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 learned of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

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 train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should let all the youthful players get game time right now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current first-team players. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the current first-team players."

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

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

"He picked up every skill quicker than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated 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 get ready for a November UFC championship bout.

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

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

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

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

But that does not prevent him from sometimes dreaming of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

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

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