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

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he reflects on how his family's life has changed since relocating to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I am fond of it here," the PFL athlete remarks.

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

The young man left his homeland in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father believed a move spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better 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 school before joining one of the nation's universities.

However, life now looks somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA athlete and is regarded as one of the leading talents in the PFL, a prominent MMA organization.

His siblings have chosen a different route in sport and have all been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the first team.

"Our key thing for us is to squeeze the maximum out of our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

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

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among combat sports fans for generating a number of UFC champions in recent years.

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

This achievement is not a coincidence, however, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to protect ourselves, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can see the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it benefited my younger brothers a great deal."

"Many of the footballers he faces don't have the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and really competitive – because of wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, coaches grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly capable competing against older players because of his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

"They faced Manchester United in a competition and Amir scored a brilliant free-kick," says Ibragim.

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

Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

"Know what he said to 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 should let all the youthful players play now."

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

Following that, 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 learned every skill quicker than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days perfecting his MMA abilities at a local gym.

In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC title fight.

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

"He was the greatest fighter in the world – and we constantly used to idolize him when we were young."

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

Fresh from training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.

However that does not prevent him from sometimes dreaming of playing for 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 Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he recalls.

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

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