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

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his family's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

"We always say, 'this was the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his home in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide superior career opportunities for him and his brothers.

The original idea 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.

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

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts fighter and is seen as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His siblings have chosen a separate route in athletics and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the senior squad.

"The primary thing for us is to squeeze the maximum from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

"I desire them to represent every one of the best teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a different team."

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mythical reputation among fight enthusiasts for producing a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a long history in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo style and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is no accident, though, as children from the region are often encouraged to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be powerful, firstly to defend ourselves, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a very good wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my little brothers a great deal."

"Many of the footballers he comes up against don't have the identical base he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and really competitive – due to wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly comfortable competing against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, apparently," says Ibragim.

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

The family's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he moved over the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to train with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he told me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim says.

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

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

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and dedicates most of his days honing his MMA skills at a local gym.

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

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

"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."

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

But that does not prevent him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, much like his brothers.

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

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

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