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

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he thinks about how his family's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete remarks.

"We always remark, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles would provide superior professional prospects for him and his siblings.

The original plan 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.

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

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is regarded as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His siblings have taken a different path in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the senior squad.

"The primary goal for us is to squeeze the maximum from our sports," says 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 might be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among combat sports fans for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a rich tradition in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

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

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

"Therefore we all became accustomed to combat, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the players he comes up against don't have the same foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, trainers grouped him with boys five years older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved over the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to train 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? Without a doubt. They need to let all the young players get game time now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the current first-team players. I believe the young guys are more motivated than the current squad members."

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 talented," continues Ibragim.

"He learned everything faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and spends most of his days perfecting his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a November UFC championship bout.

"I never have imagined I would be learning 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."

"Today, I'm here in his gym and training with Islam Makhachev."

Fresh from working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is eager to win a world title of his own someday.

But that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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

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

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be enormous."