Ibragim Ibragimov breaks into a smile as he reflects on how his clan's life has transformed since moving to England from Dagestan a decade ago.
"I love it here," the Professional Fighters League athlete states.
"We always remark, 'this was the country I ought to have been born in.'"
The young man left his homeland in the North Caucasus of Russia as his father believed a relocation covering more than 3,000 miles offered superior career opportunities for him and his brothers.
The initial idea 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 now looks somewhat distinct for the Ibragimov family.
Ibragim is now a professional mixed martial arts athlete and is viewed as one of the prime prospects in the PFL, a leading MMA league.
His brothers have chosen a separate path in sport and have each been contracted by Manchester United – with Amir aiming for a place in the first team.
"The primary goal for us is to extract the maximum from our sports," says Ibragim.
"I want them to play for all of the top teams in the world. Today it is Man United, tomorrow it could be a another team."
Starting as Grapplers to Soccer Talents
Located in the south of Russia, Dagestan holds a mystical reputation among combat sports enthusiasts for generating a number of UFC titleholders in the past few years.
The area has a rich history in grappling, thriving in the combat sambo style and producing numerous Olympic and world champions.
This success is no accident, however, as youth from the region are often pushed to begin fighting, particularly wrestling, almost as soon as they can walk.
"When I was young, my dad was constantly telling me and my younger brothers that we had to be strong, first to defend yourself, your family, and your companions," states Ibragim.
"Therefore we all got used to combat, and which is 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; obviously, it helped my younger brothers a lot."
"Some of the players he comes up against lack the identical base he has. That's why he's solid, strong and really driven – because of wrestling."
Amir was just nine years old when he was put through his paces at Sheffield United. Unaware of his real age, coaches placed him with boys five years older.
He was unfazed 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, apparently," says Ibragim.
Amir was recruited, together with Ibragim's little brothers Gazik and Muhammad.
The clan's stay in South Yorkshire was brief, though, as just weeks after signing for the Blades, Manchester United became aware of Amir's talent and he moved over the Pennines consequently.
"They played Manchester United in a competition and Amir scored a brilliant free-kick," recalls Ibragim.
"One of their talent spotters saw him play and selected him straight away."
Six years after joining the Old Trafford club and at the age of 15, Amir became one of the youngest players in the club's records to train with the first team when he achieved this in April 2023.
"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? Absolutely. They should allow all the young players get game time right 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 current squad members."
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 talented," adds Ibragim.
"He learned everything faster than everyone else. He's a good defender. He's going to be similar to a new Rio Ferdinand for Man United."
'A Goal' to Fight at the Theatre of Dreams
Ibragim has also relocated to Manchester and spends most of his days sharpening his MMA skills at Manchester Top Team.
In August, he spent three weeks in his native region at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym, assisting Islam Makhachev prepare for a late-year UFC championship bout.
"I would never have imagined I would be learning under Khabib," Ibragim says.
"He was the greatest 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 training with two UFC champions from Dagestan, it is unsurprising Ibragim states he is eager to claim a world title of his own someday.
But that does not stop him from occasionally fantasizing of playing for United and stepping 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 goals with legendary players," he says.
"Now, for my brothers to be Man United players, it's similar to a fantasy realized."
"An event at Old Trafford? It's a dream for me. I was speaking to the PFL officials about it to see if they could do it. It would be huge."
