The Siblings from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and with Man Utd.

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

"I love it here," the PFL star states.

"My father and I always say, 'this was the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior career opportunities for him and his brothers.

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

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

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is seen as one of the top talents in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His brothers have chosen a separate route in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the senior squad.

"The primary thing for us is to extract the maximum from our sports," says Ibragim.

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

From Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among combat sports fans for generating a number of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The region has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are frequently encouraged to begin combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my younger brothers a lot."

"Some of the footballers he comes up against don't have the identical foundation he has. That's why he's solid, strong and really driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, trainers grouped him with boys five years older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players because of his background in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

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

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

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

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

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records 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 reveals.

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

"In my opinion they would play worse than the current first-team players. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the current first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a November 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 always used to look up to him when we were young."

"Now, 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 eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

But that does not stop 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 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 dream for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be massive."