The Siblings from Dagestan Excelling in MMA and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his clan's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League star states.

"We frequently comment, 'this is the nation I should have been born in.'"

The young man departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered better professional prospects for him and his brothers.

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

But, reality now looks quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA fighter and is viewed as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His brothers have chosen a different route in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the first team.

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

"I desire them to represent every one of the best teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a another team."

From Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among fight enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a rich tradition in grappling, excelling in the sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are often pushed to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, first to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

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

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

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

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his real age, coaches placed 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 thought Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," says Ibragim.

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their scouts watched 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 history to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he said to me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

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

"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing starters. I think the young guys are more motivated than the current squad members."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have likewise transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned everything quicker 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 now relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA skills at a local gym.

In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC title fight.

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

"He was the greatest fighter in the world – and we constantly used to look up to him when we were young."

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

Fresh from training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is eager to win a world title of his own one day.

However that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I owned a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring goals with legendary players," he recalls.

"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's similar to a dream come true."

"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they could do it. It would be huge."