Former Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight titleholder Merab Dvalishvili and free agent Usman Nurmagomedov were involved in a physical altercation in an Abu Dhabi hotel lobby on Wednesday ahead of the Real American Freestyle event at Etihad Arena.
The confrontation follows an ongoing feud that intensified after Dvalishvili defeated Usman’s older brother, Umar Nurmagomedov, in 2025. Dvalishvili claimed on Instagram that he and a friend were jumped by Usman Nurmagomedov and several others while conducting an interview for RAF.
Holy smokes. This is madness. https://t.co/vDFlJWYorB
“What a sneaky way, just two of us, me and my friend came here in Abu Dhabi, and Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends came like snakes from behind.”
Dvalishvili said in his video.
A viral video showed Usman Nurmagomedov confronting Dvalishvili and slapping him in the face before a brawl erupted. Dvalishvili said that security held him while attackers kicked him and his friend, adding that Umar Nurmagomedov was also present.
🚨 Islam Makhachev accuses Merab Dvalishvili of starting the beef in Georgia by punching Usman's friend first and insulting his mother: "To those who are now condemning Usman and the guys, why were you silent when Merab hit the Dagestan wrestler for nothing and insulted him? A… pic.twitter.com/VUHMRqDXLV”
UFC champion Islam Makhachev attributed the hotel incident to past friction during an earlier altercation before an RAF event in July, suggesting Dvalishvili had previously insulted a Dagestani wrestler and his mother, BBC Sport reported.
“Why were you silent when Merab hit a Dagestani wrestler for nothing and hurt his honor?.”
Makhachev wrote.
Two-weight UFC champion Ilia Topuria shared the footage on X and condemned the actions of Usman Nurmagomedov’s group, calling them cowards.
“Usman has reportedly been detained, along with the cowards who were with him. What a disgrace. A bunch of absolute cowards.”
Topuria wrote on X.
Despite sustaining visible injuries, Dvalishvili confirmed he is still scheduled to face Marlon Moraes at Saturday’s RAF event.
Disclaimer: The analytical insights and data provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.
Ilia Topuria posts the video of Usman Nurmagomedovs crew jumping Merab Dvalishvili INSANE https://t.co/hTSzRIwkk5
😳 Usman Nurmagomedov could face up to one year in prison or a fine of approximately $2,700 under Article 390 of UAE Federal Law No. 31 on Crimes and Penalties. The law can be applied WITHOUT a complaint from Merab Dvalishvili, based solely on video evidence. Police are… pic.twitter.com/ugKkiozNpz
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