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

Ibragim Ibragimov smiles as he reflects on how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

"I love it here," the PFL athlete remarks.

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

The 21-year-old left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles would provide better professional prospects for him and his brothers.

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

But, life has turned out somewhat different for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a professional MMA athlete and is viewed as one of the top prospects in the PFL, a prominent MMA league.

His brothers have taken a different route in athletics and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the first team.

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

"I want them to represent every one of the top teams in the world. Now it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a another team."

Starting as Grapplers to Football Talents

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among fight fans for generating a host of UFC titleholders in the past few years.

The area has a rich history in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.

This achievement is not a coincidence, though, as youth from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a young, my dad was always instructing me and my younger brothers that we needed to be powerful, first to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," says Ibragim.

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

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

"Many of the footballers he faces don't have the identical base he possesses. That's why he's stocky, powerful and incredibly driven – because of wrestling."

Amir was only nine years old when he was being tested at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, trainers placed him with boys significantly older.

He was not intimidated by the oversight and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.

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

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

The family's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's ability and he transferred across the Pennines as a result.

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

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

Half a dozen years after signing for 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 said to me? 'Here is where I should be'," Ibragim reveals.

"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? 100%. They should allow all the youthful players play right now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the current 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 transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned everything faster than everyone else. 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 also relocated 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 get ready for a November UFC title fight.

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

"He was the best 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 training with Islam Makhachev."

Recently training with two UFC titleholders from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim says he is eager to win a world title of his own one day.

But that does not stop him from occasionally dreaming of playing for United and walking 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 with legendary players," he says.

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

"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 massive."