The Siblings from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he reflects on how his clan's life has evolved since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL star declares.

"We often comment, 'this was the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better career opportunities for him and his siblings.

The original idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish their education before enrolling in one of the country's colleges.

But, life has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

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

His brothers have chosen a different route in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

"The primary thing for us is to extract everything from our sports," explains Ibragim.

"I desire them to represent all of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it could be a another team."

From Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among combat sports fans for generating a number of UFC champions in the past few years.

The area has a long history in grappling, excelling in the sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This success is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a young, my dad was always instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend yourself, your relatives, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my little brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he faces don't have the same foundation he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and really driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, trainers placed him with boys significantly older.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'This is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They should let all the young players get game time now."

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

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

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

"He picked up everything quicker than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days honing his MMA abilities at a local gym.

In August, he passed three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, helping Islam Makhachev get ready for a November 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 always used to look up to him when we were growing up."

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

Recently training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is desperate to claim a world title of his own one day.

But that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing of representing United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to 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 says.

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

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