Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and with Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he thinks about how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I adore it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete states.

"We always comment, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior career prospects for him and his brothers.

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

However, reality has turned out quite distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is seen as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a separate path in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the senior squad.

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

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

Starting as Grapplers to Football Talents

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

The region has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world winners.

This achievement is no accident, however, as youth from the region are often pushed to take up fighting, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can see the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it helped my younger brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he faces lack the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and incredibly competitive – due to wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, coaches grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was perfectly comfortable competing against older players because of his background in wrestling.

"They thought 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, however, 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 scored a spectacular free-kick," says Ibragim.

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

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 records to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he told me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to allow all the youthful players get game time now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the current first-team players. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the present squad members."

Since then, 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 good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

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

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

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

"He was the best 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 champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim says he is desperate to claim a world title of his own someday.

But that does not stop him from sometimes dreaming of representing United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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

"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 guys about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be enormous."