Those Siblings from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Manchester United.

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

"I love it here," the PFL star declares.

"We often remark, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a move covering more than 3,000 miles offered better professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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

But, reality has turned out slightly distinct for the Ibragimov family.

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

His siblings have chosen a different path in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the senior squad.

"The main goal for us is to extract the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

"I want them to play for every one of the finest teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it could be a different team."

From Wrestlers to Football Talents

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

The area has a rich tradition in grappling, excelling in the sambo discipline and producing a host of Olympic and world champions.

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

"When I was young, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to defend yourself, your relatives, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

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

"Some of the players he faces don't have the identical base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly driven – due to wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his actual age, coaches placed 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 identical age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

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

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

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

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

Six years after joining the Manchester United 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 did so in April 2023.

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

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should let all the young players get game time right now."

"In my opinion they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I think the youngsters are more motivated than the current 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 kid is gifted," adds Ibragim.

"He learned everything faster than the others. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and dedicates 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 November 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 young."

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

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

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

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

"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's similar to a dream come true."

"An event at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they would do it. It would be huge."