Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his clan's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

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

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

The 21-year-old left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better career opportunities for him and his brothers.

The initial plan was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to complete their education before joining one of the country's universities.

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

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is regarded as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a leading MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a different path in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

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

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Talents

Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among fight enthusiasts for generating a slew of UFC champions in the past few years.

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

This success is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are often encouraged to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was always instructing me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, first to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

"So we all got used to fighting, and which is why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Many of the footballers he comes up against lack the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was being tested 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 perfectly capable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience 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 clan's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred over the Pennines consequently.

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

"One of their scouts saw him play and selected him immediately."

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's records to train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

"I don't think they would play worse than the current first-team players. I believe the youngsters are hungrier than the present first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned every skill quicker than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

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

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

"I would never have imagined I would be training under Khabib," Ibragim says.

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

"Now, I'm here in his gym and sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

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

However that does not prevent him from sometimes 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 always used to play as Man United, scoring with legendary players," he says.

"Today, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's similar to 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 could do it. It would be massive."