Merab Dvalishvili Says Usman Nurmagomedov’s Camp Jumped Him in Abu Dhabi Hotel Brawl Caught on Video

admin · November 11, 2026 · 9 min read

Editorial illustration of a confrontation between MMA fighters in an Abu Dhabi hotel lobby ahead of the Real American Freestyle event

Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili says he and a friend were attacked by Usman Nurmagomedov and members of the Dagestani fighter’s team inside a hotel in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, three days before Dvalishvili is scheduled to compete at a wrestling event in the same city. Video of the confrontation, shared online by UFC star Ilia Topuria, shows Nurmagomedov slapping Dvalishvili in the face before a multi-person brawl breaks out.

Dvalishvili posted a video on Instagram showing himself receiving medical attention in a hotel room, blood visible on his face, as he accused Nurmagomedov’s camp of ambushing him and a 21-year-old Georgian wrestler who was with him. The incident happened while Dvalishvili was being interviewed at the fighter hotel ahead of Saturday’s Real American Freestyle (RAF) event at Etihad Arena, where he is booked to face former UFC title challenger Marlon Moraes.

What the video shows

The footage posted by Topuria on X shows Dvalishvili in the middle of an interview in a hotel lobby when Nurmagomedov approaches him from behind. Nurmagomedov slaps Dvalishvili in the face, and a scuffle immediately erupts involving several people from both sides. The video, which spread quickly across social media on Wednesday, appears to show punches being thrown as hotel staff and bystanders try to separate the groups.

The National, the Abu Dhabi-based newspaper, reported that the group was led by Nurmagomedov and that he struck Dvalishvili first. Bleacher Report, which also covered the footage, described the video as showing Nurmagomedov confronting Dvalishvili and slapping him before a massive brawl broke out.

Dvalishvili, known to fans as “The Machine,” later posted his own video showing the aftermath. In it, he and his friend are shown bloodied and receiving treatment. According to Dvalishvili, he was attacked from behind by a group of around 20 people. That number has not been independently confirmed, and no publicly available footage so far shows the full sequence of events from start to finish.

What Dvalishvili says happened

Dvalishvili’s account is that he was ambushed during an interview connected to this weekend’s wrestling event. He said the attackers included Usman Nurmagomedov and his brother Umar Nurmagomedov, along with members of their team. In his Instagram post, Dvalishvili said his friend, a 21-year-old wrestler from Georgia, fought two of the attackers on his own.

Fellow PFL star Dakota Ditcheva was among the fighters who publicly condemned the alleged attack, and several other fighters, including Mike Perry, reacted in the comments on Dvalishvili’s post. The criticism was aimed at the Nurmagomedov camp, with Ditcheva and others describing the incident as an attack on a fellow fighter outside of competition.

As of Wednesday evening, neither Usman nor Umar Nurmagomedov had publicly addressed Dvalishvili’s accusations. RAF officials and Abu Dhabi authorities had also not issued public statements about the incident.

The detention claim — still unconfirmed

Hours after posting the brawl video, Topuria wrote on X that Nurmagomedov and members of his team had been detained by local police. “Usman has reportedly been detained, along with the cowards who were with him,” Topuria wrote.

That claim has not been confirmed. There has been no official confirmation of any detention from Abu Dhabi police, and no member of the Nurmagomedov team has spoken publicly since the brawl. Outlets covering Topuria’s post have been careful to describe the detention as a claim rather than a confirmed fact, and it remains unclear where Topuria received his information.

Until an official source confirms it, the detention should be treated as an unverified claim — not as an established outcome of the incident.

Background: a rivalry that started in the Octagon

The bad blood between Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov camp is not new. Dvalishvili defeated Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision at UFC 311 in January 2025 to defend his UFC bantamweight championship, handing the Dagestani his first professional loss. The fight was competitive and heated, and the rivalry between the Georgian and the Nurmagomedov family has simmered ever since.

Usman Nurmagomedov, the cousin of undefeated UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, is the PFL lightweight champion and one of the most talked-about fighters outside the UFC. He is unbeaten at 22 wins, no losses and one no-contest, and he retained his PFL lightweight title against Archie Colgan on July 31 at UBS Arena in New York. He recently fought out his PFL contract, which made him a free agent and fueled speculation that he could sign with the UFC.

That speculation flared again this week. Reports circulated that Nurmagomedov had signed with another promotion, but his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, denied them in a written post on X on Wednesday. “Guys, the reports that Usman Nurmagomedov signed with another promotion are false,” Abdelaziz wrote. “He’s still in an exclusive negotiating period with the PFL, which means he can’t negotiate with any other promotion right now.” The National reported in late October that a 90-day PFL exclusivity period was nearing its end, but Abdelaziz’s statement indicates the window is still in effect.

Usman and Khabib Nurmagomedov are in Abu Dhabi to support their teammates, including cousin Umar, who is scheduled to face Urijah Faber in a freestyle wrestling match at Saturday’s RAF event.

What happens to Saturday’s event

The immediate question is whether Dvalishvili will still compete on Saturday. He is scheduled to face Marlon Moraes in a catchweight freestyle wrestling match at RAF Abu Dhabi at Etihad Arena on November 14, and he has assured fans that he will recover from the brawl. Bleacher Report reported that Dvalishvili remains scheduled for the event, though it is unclear how serious his injuries are or whether the incident will force a change to the card.

RAF, short for Real American Freestyle, is a freestyle wrestling league that has been staging events featuring mixed martial arts stars crossing over into wrestling competition. Saturday’s Abu Dhabi card is one of its biggest events yet, with Dvalishvili vs. Moraes and Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Faber both on the bill.

If Dvalishvili is unable to compete, it would be a significant blow to the event. If he does compete, the match will now carry far more attention than it did before Wednesday — and so will his rivalry with the Nurmagomedov camp.

Why this matters

Hotel brawls and backstage confrontations are nothing new in combat sports, but this one matters for several reasons. First, it involves two of the biggest names in the sport’s orbit: a former UFC champion and the unbeaten cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, one of the most famous fighters of all time. Second, it happened just three days before a major event, which raises real questions about fighter safety, event security and whether the card will go ahead as planned.

Third, the timing is delicate for Nurmagomedov himself. He is at the center of a free-agency sweepstakes, with the UFC widely expected to pursue him once his PFL exclusivity ends. An incident like this — especially if any detention or charges follow — could complicate those plans, even though nothing has been confirmed beyond the video itself.

The incident also lands in a crowded week for American sports fans, who have already seen a frantic NFL trade deadline and a dramatic NASCAR Cup Series title race. But few stories in sports this week have generated as much raw reaction as a video of two famous fighters brawling in a hotel lobby.

Latest developments

As of Wednesday evening, the confirmed facts are these: a physical altercation took place in an Abu Dhabi hotel between Dvalishvili and members of the Nurmagomedov camp; video of the incident shows Nurmagomedov slapping Dvalishvili and a brawl breaking out; Dvalishvili posted video of himself bloodied and receiving medical attention; and Dvalishvili remains scheduled to face Moraes on Saturday.

What is not confirmed: whether Nurmagomedov or anyone else was detained, whether any charges will be filed, and whether the incident will change Saturday’s card. No statement has come from the Nurmagomedov camp, from RAF, or from Abu Dhabi authorities. Those answers will determine whether this becomes a brief viral moment or a longer-running story with real consequences for the fighters involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who attacked Merab Dvalishvili in Abu Dhabi?

Dvalishvili says he and a friend were attacked by Usman Nurmagomedov and members of his team at a hotel in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, November 11. Video posted by Ilia Topuria shows Nurmagomedov slapping Dvalishvili before a brawl broke out. The Nurmagomedov camp has not publicly responded to the accusation.

Was Usman Nurmagomedov detained after the brawl?

That is unconfirmed. Ilia Topuria wrote on X that Nurmagomedov and his teammates had been detained by local police, but there has been no official confirmation from Abu Dhabi authorities, and no member of the Nurmagomedov team has commented.

Will Dvalishvili still fight Marlon Moraes on Saturday?

As of Wednesday evening, Dvalishvili remains scheduled to face Marlon Moraes in a freestyle wrestling match at RAF Abu Dhabi on Saturday, November 14, at Etihad Arena. Dvalishvili has assured fans he will recover, but his condition and the event’s status have not been officially updated since the incident.

Why were Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov in Abu Dhabi?

Both men were in Abu Dhabi for Saturday’s Real American Freestyle event. Dvalishvili is scheduled to wrestle Marlon Moraes, while Umar Nurmagomedov — Usman’s brother, whom Dvalishvili beat at UFC 311 — is scheduled to face Urijah Faber on the same card.

Dvalishvili’s accusation, the video evidence and the unanswered questions around it will keep this story moving in the coming days. What happens next depends on the authorities, the promoters and the fighters themselves — and on whether Saturday’s event goes ahead with its headline names intact.