Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region 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 remarks.

"My father and I frequently comment, 'this was the country I should have been born in.'"

The young man departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior career 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 school before joining one of the country's colleges.

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

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

His siblings have chosen a separate path in athletics and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the senior squad.

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

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among fight fans for producing a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

The region has a rich tradition in grappling, excelling in the combat sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are often pushed to take up combat sports, specifically 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, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my younger brothers a lot."

"Some of the players he faces don't have the identical base he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and really competitive – due to 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 not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly comfortable 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 signed, along with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their talent spotters watched him play and selected him straight away."

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

"Know what he told me? 'This is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to let all the youthful players play right now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing first-team players. I believe the youngsters 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 also made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA skills 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 late-year UFC championship bout.

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

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

"Today, 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 desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not stop him from sometimes dreaming of representing United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to 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 like 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 make it happen. It would be huge."