Those Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark 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 competitor remarks.

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

The young man departed his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a move covering more than 3,000 miles promised better professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

The original idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish school before joining one of the country's colleges.

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

Ibragim is now a pro mixed martial arts athlete and is regarded as one of the leading prospects in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His brothers have taken a separate path in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a position in the first team.

"The main thing for us is to squeeze everything out of our sports," says Ibragim.

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

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among fight fans for generating a number of UFC titleholders in recent years.

The region has a long history in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

This success is not a coincidence, however, as youth from the region are frequently encouraged to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was constantly telling me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, first to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your friends," says Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can observe the move from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my younger brothers a lot."

"Some of the players he comes up against don't have the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's stocky, strong and really competitive – due to wrestling."

Amir was just nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Not knowing of his actual age, trainers grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was unfazed by the oversight and was perfectly comfortable competing against older players thanks to 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 little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines as a result.

"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 train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.

"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? Absolutely. They should let all the youthful players play now."

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

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

"He picked up every skill quicker than everyone else. He's a solid defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'A Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams

Ibragim has also moved to Manchester and spends most of his days honing his MMA skills 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 November UFC title fight.

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

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

"Now, I'm here in his gym and sparring alongside Islam Makhachev."

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

However that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing 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 always used to play as Man United, scoring with legendary players," he recalls.

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

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