The Siblings from Dagestan Excelling in Mixed Martial Arts and at Manchester United.

Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he considers how his clan's life has transformed since relocating to England from Dagestan a decade ago.

"I love it here," the PFL competitor states.

"My father and I often remark, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"

The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia because his father was convinced a relocation spanning more than 3,000 miles offered superior professional opportunities for him and his siblings.

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

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

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

His siblings have taken a separate route in sport and have all been signed by Manchester United – with Amir vying for a spot in the first team.

"The primary goal for us is to extract everything from our chosen fields," says Ibragim.

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

Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Talents

Located in southern Russia, Dagestan has a mystical reputation among combat sports enthusiasts for producing a slew of UFC titleholders in recent years.

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

This achievement is no accident, however, as children from the region are frequently pushed to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can stand.

"As a a kid, my dad was always telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, firstly to defend ourselves, your relatives, and your companions," states Ibragim.

"Therefore we all became accustomed to fighting, and that's why everyone understands how to fight in Dagestan. It's not a surprise."

"Amir was a highly skilled wrestler. You can observe the transition from wrestling to football; clearly, 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 solid, strong 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 real age, trainers grouped him with boys significantly older.

He was not intimidated by the mistake and was more than comfortable holding his own against older players because of his background in wrestling.

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

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

The clan's time in South Yorkshire was short-lived, however, as only weeks after joining the Blades, Manchester United learned of Amir's talent and he moved across the Pennines as a result.

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

"One of their scouts watched him play and picked him immediately."

Half a dozen years after joining the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir was one of the most youthful players in the club's records to train with the senior side when he did so in April 2023.

"Do you know what he said to me? 'Here is where I belong'," Ibragim reveals.

"Can he be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They need to let all the young players play now."

"I don't think they would play less effectively than the existing starters. I think the youngsters are hungrier than the present first-team players."

Since then, Gazik and Muhammad, the latter once on the books of Manchester City, have also transferred to Manchester United.

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

"He learned everything faster than everyone else. He's a solid 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 honing 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 get ready for a November UFC championship bout.

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

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

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

Fresh from working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is no surprise Ibragim states he is eager to win 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, much like his brothers.

"I had a PlayStation at home and I constantly used to play as Man United, scoring 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 goal for me. I was discussing with the PFL officials about it to see if they would do it. It would be huge."