The Siblings from Dagestan Excelling in MMA and at Man Utd.

Ibragim Ibragimov grins as he thinks about how his clan's life has changed since moving to England from Dagestan eight years ago.

"I adore it here," the PFL star declares.

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

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles promised superior professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

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

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is regarded as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a major MMA organization.

His brothers have chosen a different route in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a position in the senior squad.

"The main goal for us is to squeeze everything out of our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

"I desire them to represent all of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it could be a another team."

Starting as Wrestlers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical status among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a number of UFC champions in recent years.

The area has a long history in wrestling, excelling in the sambo discipline and creating numerous Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is no accident, though, as children from the region are frequently encouraged to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, practically as soon as they can stand.

"When I was a kid, my dad was constantly instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to protect ourselves, your family, and your friends," states Ibragim.

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

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; obviously, it assisted my little brothers a lot."

"Some of the players he faces don't have the same foundation he has. That's why he's solid, powerful and incredibly 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 not intimidated by the oversight and was perfectly comfortable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

"They believed Amir and I were the identical age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.

Amir was recruited, along with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.

The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was short-lived, though, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines as a result.

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

"One of their scouts watched him play and selected him straight away."

Six years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the youngest players in the club's records to practice with the senior side when he achieved this in April 2023.

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

"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 now."

"I don't think they would play worse than the current first-team players. I believe the young guys are more motivated than the present first-team players."

Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once on the books of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.

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

"He picked up every skill faster than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Compete at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now 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 homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC championship bout.

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

"He was the greatest fighter in the world – and we always used to look up to him when we were young."

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

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

But that does not stop him from sometimes fantasizing of representing United and walking out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to his brothers.

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

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

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