Those Siblings from Dagestan Making Their Mark in Mixed Martial Arts and at Man Utd.
Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he thinks about how his family's life has evolved since relocating to England from Dagestan in 2017.
"I am fond of it here," the PFL star declares.
"We always comment, 'this is the country I should have been born in.'"
The young man departed his home in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father was convinced a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles would provide superior career opportunities for him and his brothers.
The original idea was for Ibragim and his three brothers – Amir (17), Gazik (16), and Muhammad (15) – to finish school before enrolling in one of the nation's universities.
However, reality now looks quite 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 major MMA league.
His siblings have chosen a separate path in sport and have each been signed by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a position in the senior squad.
"Our key thing for us is to squeeze everything out of our sports," explains Ibragim.
"I desire them to play for every one of the finest teams in the world. Today it is Man United, in the future it might be a another team."
Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Talents
Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mythical reputation among fight fans for generating a number of UFC champions in the past few years.
The region has a long tradition in wrestling, excelling in the combat sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world winners.
This achievement is no accident, however, as children from the region are often pushed to take up fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.
"When I was a kid, my dad was always instructing me and my little brothers that we needed to be strong, firstly to protect yourself, your family, and your friends," says Ibragim.
"So we all became accustomed to combat, and which is why people knows 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; obviously, it assisted my little brothers a lot."
"Some of the players he comes up against don't have the same base he possesses. That's why he's solid, powerful and really competitive – due to wrestling."
Amir was only nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, coaches grouped him with boys five years older.
He was unfazed by the mistake and was more than capable holding his own against older players thanks to his experience in wrestling.
"They thought Amir and I were the same age, so the story goes," remarks Ibragim.
Amir was signed, along with Ibragim's younger brothers Gazik and Muhammad.
The clan's time in South Yorkshire was brief, however, as only weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines as a result.
"They faced Manchester United in a competition and Amir netted a brilliant free-kick," recalls Ibragim.
"One of their talent spotters saw him play and picked him immediately."
Six years after signing for the Manchester United club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the most youthful players in the club's history to practice with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.
"Do you know what he said to me? 'This is where I belong'," Ibragim says.
"Is he able to be a first-team player for Manchester United? Without a doubt. They should let all the young players get game time right now."
"I don't think they would play less effectively than the existing first-team players. I believe the youngsters are more motivated than the present squad members."
Following that, Gazik and Muhammad, the younger once part of the academy of Manchester City, have also made the move to Manchester United.
"Gazik, this youngster is talented," continues Ibragim.
"He learned every skill faster than the others. He's a good defender. He's going to be like a modern Rio Ferdinand for Man United."
'A Dream' to Compete at the Theatre of Dreams
Ibragim has now relocated to Manchester and dedicates most of his days sharpening his MMA skills at a local gym.
In August, he spent three weeks in his homeland at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev get ready for a November UFC title fight.
"I never have imagined I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim says.
"He was the best fighter in the world – and we always used to idolize him when we were young."
"Today, I'm here in his gym and training with Islam Makhachev."
Fresh from working with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.
However that does not prevent him from sometimes fantasizing of representing United and stepping out on the hallowed 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 legendary players," he recalls.
"Today, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's similar to a fantasy realized."
"A fight at Old Trafford? It's a ambition for me. I was discussing with the PFL guys about it to see if they could make it happen. It would be massive."
