The Siblings from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

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

"We often remark, 'this was the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles promised better professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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

But, life has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov household.

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

His siblings have taken a different route in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the first team.

"The primary goal for us is to extract the maximum out of our sports," says Ibragim.

"I want them to play for all of the best teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a another team."

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among fight fans for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a rich history in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is no accident, however, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to protect ourselves, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped my younger brothers a great deal."

"Many of the footballers he faces don't have the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly competitive – because of wrestling."

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

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

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

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

"Do you know what he told me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to allow all the youthful players play now."

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

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

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

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

'The Goal' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities 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 title fight.

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

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

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

Fresh from working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

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

"I had 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 similar to a dream come true."

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