The Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and at Man Utd.

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

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

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

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered better professional prospects 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 enrolling in one of the country's universities.

However, life now looks quite distinct for the Ibragimov family.

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

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

"Our key goal for us is to squeeze everything out of our sports," says Ibragim.

"I want them to represent all of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a rich tradition in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

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

"As a young, my dad was always instructing me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to fighting, and which is why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it benefited my younger brothers a lot."

"Some of the footballers he faces don't have the identical 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, coaches placed him with boys five years older.

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was perfectly comfortable competing against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred over the Pennines as a result.

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

"One of their talent spotters saw him play and selected him immediately."

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

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

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

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I think the youngsters are more motivated than the current squad members."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Goal' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

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

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

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

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

"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 occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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

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

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a goal for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be huge."