Those Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Manchester United.

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

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

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

The young man departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

But, life has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is viewed as one of the top talents in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a separate route in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

"The primary goal for us is to extract the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

The area has a long history in wrestling, thriving in the sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world winners.

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

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, first to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and that's why people understands 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; obviously, it helped my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he comes up against don't have the same base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and really competitive – due to wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, coaches placed him with boys significantly older.

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

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

Amir was signed, along 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 moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

"One of their scouts saw him play and selected him immediately."

Half a dozen years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's records to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

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

"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing starters. I think the young guys are more motivated than the current first-team players."

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

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

"He learned every skill faster than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

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

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

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

"Today, I'm here in his gym and sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

Recently training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not prevent him from sometimes dreaming of playing for United and walking 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 Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he recalls.

"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 officials about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be huge."