Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Man Utd.

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

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League star declares.

"My father and I frequently 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 as his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better professional opportunities for him and his brothers.

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

But, reality now looks somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov family.

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

His brothers have chosen a separate route in sport and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the senior squad.

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

"I hope them to represent all of the finest teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it could be a another team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a long tradition in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my little brothers a lot."

"Some of the players he comes up against lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly competitive – due to wrestling."

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

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Six years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's history to train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Absolutely. They need to let all the young players get game time now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing starters. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the present squad members."

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

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

"He learned everything faster 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 Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days perfecting his MMA skills at a local gym.

In August, he passed three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC championship bout.

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

"He was the greatest 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 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 stop him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

"Now, 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 speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they would do it. It would be huge."