As things stand, RAF Abu Dhabi Fight Week has been rocked by an ugly altercation involving Merab Dvalishvili, Usman Nurmagomedov, and a group of Dagestani fighters. The incident took place in a hotel lobby in Abu Dhabi, where the former UFC bantamweight champion is scheduled to wrestle Marlon Moraes.
Things came to light when Dvalishvili took to social media to share a video showing him bloodied following the altercation. He claimed that he and his 21-year-old friend, identified as Saba Lazishvili, a Georgian wrestler and younger brother of former UFC fighter Zviad Lazishvili, were attacked by more than 20 people.
The group allegedly included PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov and Umar Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili described what happened in the caption, writing, “Was doing an interview for RAF in hotel lobby and Usman and his buddies came up from behind and started punching me and my young friend. Security was holding me – They kept kicking us when we were down like losers.”
Was doing an interview for RAF in hotel lobby and Usman and his buddies came up from behind and started punching me and my young friend. Security was holding me – They kept kicking us when we were down like losers. https://t.co/OZuVu1iGuo
— Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil) November 11, 2026
In the video, the former UFC champion also made his feelings about the attack crystal clear, stating, “Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends came like snakes from behind! What kind of fighters are you guys?! What kind of man does this?! If you want to fight, let’s do like real way, bro! You guys came just because there’s two of us, and you guys were prepared, bro! That shows your character, shows you’re not real men!”
More footage of the altercation subsequently surfaced, courtesy of Ilia Topuria. The former UFC lightweight champion condemned the Dagestani fighters’ actions and promised repercussions in a 37-second clip shared on social media.
The footage shows Nurmagomedov approaching Dvalishvili from behind and slapping him, triggering an all-out brawl in the hotel lobby. Topuria also shared a message alongside the footage, writing, “You’re a bunch of cowards, and you’ll be held accountable for what you’ve done. You’re anything but real men.”
Although he later deleted the initial post, Topuria returned with a much longer statement condemning the Dagestani fighters. He also claimed that Nurmagomedov had been detained following the incident.
“Usman has reportedly been detained, along with the cowards who were with him. And these are the same people who dare to preach about humility and respect? What a disgrace. A bunch of absolute cowards.”
He added, “I always thought you were a bunch of mediocre individuals. Now you’ve removed every last doubt. Honor, respect, and humility aren’t words you preach. They’re values you live by. And you’ve shown none of them.”
Usman has reportedly been detained, along with the cowards who were with him.
And these are the same people who dare to preach about humility and respect? What a disgrace. A bunch of absolute cowards.
I always thought you were a bunch of mediocre individuals. Now you’ve removed every last doubt.
Honor, respect, and humility aren’t words you preach. They’re values you live by. And you’ve shown none of them.
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) November 11, 2026
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Meanwhile, according to Ariel Helwani, everyone involved in the altercation, including Dvalishvili and Lazishvili, has been taken to the police station for questioning.
The veteran journalist further clarified that Dvalishvili is not pressing charges. However, since the incident happened in public and was caught on camera, everyone involved was brought in for questioning.
The controversial incident adds another chapter to the growing list of outside-the-cage controversies involving Usman Nurmagomedov. The PFL champion recently made headlines at UFC Shanghai after hopping the cage and attempting to elbow Song Yadong following his knockout victory over Umar Nurmagomedov.
The latest I’m hearing is that everyone involved in the Merab Dvalishvili/Usman Nurmagomedov altercation, including Merab and his friend, are at the police station for questioning.
My understanding is that Merab isn’t the one pressing charges, but the incident happened in public and was caught on camera so everyone was brought in.
The bigger question for me is: Will the UFC still sign Usman after something like this? Very curious to see how they handle this one.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 11, 2026
With reports also suggesting that the Dagestani fighter could be swapped by the UFC, this latest incident could have implications beyond his immediate fighting career. The fallout may now extend to the business side of things as well.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
