The Siblings from Dagestan Excelling in MMA and at Manchester United.

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

"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League competitor declares.

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

The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional prospects for him and his siblings.

The initial plan 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.

However, life now looks slightly different for the Ibragimov family.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts athlete and is seen as one of the top talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His siblings have taken a separate path in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

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

"I hope them to represent all of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, in the future it might be a different team."

From Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among combat sports fans for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The area has a rich tradition in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world winners.

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

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

"So we all got used to combat, and which is why people knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

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

"Some of the players he faces lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, trainers 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 thanks to his background in wrestling.

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, apparently," remarks Ibragim.

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

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he moved across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Half a dozen years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"Is he able to 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 less effectively than the current first-team players. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the current squad members."

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

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

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

'The Goal' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and spends most of his days perfecting his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

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

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

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

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

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

However that does not prevent him from occasionally dreaming of representing United and walking 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 speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be enormous."