The Siblings from the Dagestani Region Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his family's life has transformed since moving to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

"We often comment, 'this was the nation I ought to have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia because his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better professional prospects for him and his siblings.

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

But, reality has turned out quite different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts athlete and is viewed as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a major MMA league.

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

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

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

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Talents

Situated in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical status among fight enthusiasts for generating a slew of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a long tradition in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.

This success is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are often encouraged to take up combat sports, specifically wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

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

"So we all became accustomed to fighting, and that's why people knows 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 great deal."

"Many of the players he comes up against don't have the same base he has. That's why he's stocky, powerful and really driven – due to wrestling."

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

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

"They thought Amir and I were the same age, so the story goes," says Ibragim.

Amir was recruited, together with Ibragim's younger 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 talent 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 signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's history to train with the first team when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you 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 should allow all the young players get game time right now."

"In my opinion they would play worse than the existing first-team players. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the present first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

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

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

'A Dream' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and spends most of his days perfecting 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 late-year UFC title fight.

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

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

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

Recently working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is desperate to win a world title of his own one day.

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

"I had a PlayStation at home and I always used to play as Man United, scoring goals with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez," 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 dream for me. I was speaking to the PFL guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be huge."