Those Siblings from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at 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 adore it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete declares.

"We often comment, 'this was the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior professional prospects for him and his brothers.

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

However, reality now looks somewhat different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is regarded as one of the top talents in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His brothers have chosen a different route in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a spot in the senior squad.

"Our key goal for us is to squeeze the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a rich tradition in wrestling, excelling in the sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are often pushed to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, first to defend yourself, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to combat, and which is 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; clearly, it helped my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the footballers he faces lack the same base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, trainers placed him with boys five years older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than capable competing against older players because of his background in wrestling.

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

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

The clan's time 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 competition and Amir scored a spectacular free-kick," recalls Ibragim.

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

Half a dozen 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 senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'This is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should allow all the youthful players get game time now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I think the young guys are hungrier than the current first-team players."

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

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

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

'The 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 Manchester Top Team.

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready 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 always 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 no surprise Ibragim says he is eager to win a world title of his own someday.

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

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he recalls.

"Today, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's like a fantasy realized."

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