Those Siblings from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and with Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he considers how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.

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

"We frequently say, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The 21-year-old left his home in the Caucasus region of Russia as his father was convinced a move spanning more than 3,000 miles offered better professional opportunities 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 joining one of the nation's colleges.

But, life now looks somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov household.

Ibragim is now a pro MMA fighter and is regarded as one of the prime talents in the PFL, a major MMA league.

His brothers have chosen a separate route in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir pushing for a spot in the senior squad.

"Our key thing for us is to extract the maximum out of our chosen fields," explains Ibragim.

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

From Grapplers to Soccer Prodigies

Situated in southern Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among combat sports fans for generating a host of UFC champions in the past few years.

The region has a rich history in wrestling, thriving in the combat sambo discipline and creating a host of Olympic and world champions.

This success is no accident, however, as children from the region are often encouraged to begin combat sports, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.

"When I was young, my dad was always instructing me and my little brothers that we had to be strong, first to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all got used to fighting, and that's why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's unsurprising."

"Amir was a excellent wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, it helped my younger brothers a great deal."

"Some of the players he comes up against lack the identical foundation he possesses. That's why he's solid, strong and really competitive – because of wrestling."

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

He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than comfortable competing against older players because of his background in wrestling.

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

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

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

"They faced Manchester United in a competition and Amir netted a spectacular free-kick," says Ibragim.

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

Six years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's records to train with the first team 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? Absolutely. They need to allow all the young players play now."

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

Since then, 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 gifted," adds Ibragim.

"He learned every skill faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."

'The Goal' to Fight at Old Trafford

Ibragim has now moved to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA abilities at Manchester Top Team.

In August, he passed three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting 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 greatest fighter in the world – and we always used to look up to him when we were young."

"Now, 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 someday.

However that does not prevent him from sometimes fantasizing of playing for United and stepping out on the historic turf at Old Trafford, similar to 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.

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

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