Those Siblings from the Dagestani Region Excelling in MMA and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he considers how his clan's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I adore it here," the PFL athlete remarks.

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

The 21-year-old departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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

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

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

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

"The primary goal for us is to extract everything out of our sports," explains Ibragim.

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Football Prodigies

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mythical status among fight enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC titleholders in recent years.

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

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as children from the region are often encouraged to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, first to protect yourself, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"So we all became accustomed to fighting, and which is why everyone knows how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he faces don't have the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really 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, trainers grouped him with boys five years older.

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

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he moved over the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Six years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's history to train with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

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

"I don't think they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I believe the young guys are more motivated than the present first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once part of the academy of Manchester City, have likewise transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days honing 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 would never have thought I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim admits.

"He was the greatest 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."

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

But that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and walking out on the historic 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 says.

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

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