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

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

"I am fond of it here," the Professional Fighters League competitor declares.

"We frequently remark, 'this was the nation I should have been born in.'"

The young man left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father believed a move covering more than 3,000 miles would provide superior career opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

But, reality now looks quite different for the Ibragimov family.

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

His siblings have taken a different path in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the first team.

"The main thing for us is to extract the maximum from our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan has a mythical reputation among fight fans for generating a host of UFC champions in the past few years.

The region has a long tradition in wrestling, thriving in the sambo style and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

This success is no accident, however, as children from the region are frequently pushed to begin fighting, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can walk.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to defend yourself, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to combat, and that's why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

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

"Many of the players he faces don't have the same foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly competitive – due to wrestling."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Know what he said to me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim says.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They need to allow all the youthful players get game time right now."

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

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Dream' to Compete at Old Trafford

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

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

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

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

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

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

However that does not prevent him from sometimes fantasizing of representing United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

"I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly 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 ambition for me. I was speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they would make it happen. It would be massive."