The Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and with Manchester United.

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

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

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

The young man departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better professional 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 their education before joining one of the nation's colleges.

But, life has turned out slightly different for the Ibragimov household.

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

His brothers have chosen a different route in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the first team.

"The main goal for us is to extract everything from our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

From Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical status among combat sports fans for generating a slew of UFC champions in recent years.

The area has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are frequently encouraged to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend yourself, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

"So we all got used to fighting, and which is why people 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; clearly, it benefited my little brothers a great deal."

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

Amir was only nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, coaches placed him with boys significantly older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly capable competing against older players because of his background in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same age, apparently," says Ibragim.

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's history to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

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

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

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening his MMA skills at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC championship bout.

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

"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 working 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 prevent him from sometimes dreaming of playing for United and stepping out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

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

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