Those Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in MMA and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he considers how his clan's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I am fond of it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete states.

"My father and I often remark, 'this was the country I should have been born in.'"

The young man left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior 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 finish their education before joining one of the country's universities.

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

Ibragim is now a pro MMA athlete and is seen as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His brothers have taken a separate path in athletics and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a place in the senior squad.

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

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

From Grapplers to Football Prodigies

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

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

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are frequently pushed to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was young, my dad was always telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, 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 see the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it benefited my little brothers a lot."

"Many of the players he faces lack the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the oversight and was more than capable holding his own against older players thanks to his background in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the same age, apparently," remarks 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 joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines consequently.

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

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

Half a dozen years after joining 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 senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he told me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They should let all the young players play now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I believe 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 likewise made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up everything faster than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Dream' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

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

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

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

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

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

However that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and walking out on the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

"I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," he says.

"Today, 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 speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they could do it. It would be enormous."