Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Making Their Mark in MMA and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he thinks about how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

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

The young man departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a move covering more than 3,000 miles would provide better 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 complete their education before joining one of the nation's colleges.

However, reality has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA fighter and is regarded as one of the leading talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a different path in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the first team.

"The main goal for us is to squeeze everything out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among combat sports fans for producing a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a long tradition in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are often encouraged to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"As a young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, first to protect ourselves, your family, and your companions," 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 excellent wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped my younger brothers a great deal."

"Many of the players he comes up against lack the same foundation he has. That's why he's solid, strong and really competitive – because of wrestling."

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

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

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

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their scouts watched him play and picked him straight away."

Six years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

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

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

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

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

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

'The Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at a local gym.

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 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 training with Islam Makhachev."

Recently working with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and walking 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 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 goal for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be massive."