It is safe to say that the sneak attack by Usman Nurmagomedov and his Dagestani entourage has sparked an uproar across the MMA community. Although Nurmagomedov may be one of the hottest free agents in combat sports, several prominent fighters, including Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland, Ilia Topuria, and Aljamain Sterling, have criticized his actions.
However, Islam Makhachev is understandably not among them. The reigning UFC welterweight champion is a longtime training partner of the PFL lightweight champion. According to Makhachev, the attack on Dvalishvili was a long time coming because of the Georgian’s past actions.
The incident dates back to RAF Georgia in July 2026, where Dvalishvili was scheduled to face Henry Cejudo in Tbilisi. During the event, the Georgian had a heated confrontation with Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov, a Dagestani wrestler and friend of Nurmagomedov, who confronted ‘The Machine’ over his dismissive comments about facing Umar Nurmagomedov in a wrestling bout.
Today’s scuffle at RAF Abu Dhabi appears to be a continuation of tensions that first emerged between Merab Dvalishvili and one of the Dagestani wrestlers at RAF Georgia in July. This is something Islam Makhachev also suggested in his post about the situation. Thoughts? https://t.co/XbFHVftmvQ
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 11, 2026
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Footage of the confrontation showed Dvalishvili grabbing Gadzhimagomedov by the neck and shoving him after the Dagestani repeatedly asked, “What’s your problem?” The incident was widely viewed as an insult to the Dagestani fighters.
Reflecting on the altercation, Makhachev took to social media to argue that Dvalishvili was responsible for initiating the feud.
He wrote, “To those who are now condemning Usman and the guys and insulting them. Why were you silent when Merab hit a Dagestani wrestler for no reason and insulted his honor? The man approached him to talk with no ill intent.”
Makhachev added, “What happened today was started by Merab in his own homeland when he took it upon himself to hit a guest and insult his mother.”
🚨 Islam Makhachev released a statement defending Usman Nurmagomedov after he attacked Merab Dvalishvili:
“To those who are now condemning Usman and the guys and insulting them: why were you silent when Merab hit a Dagestani wrestler for no reason and insulted his honor? The man approached him to talk with no ill intent.
What happened today was started by Merab in his own homeland when he took it upon himself to hit a guest and insult his mother.”
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 11, 2026
Makhachev clearly views Wednesday’s altercation as a continuation of the earlier confrontation in Georgia. In his assessment, Dvalishvili should not be portrayed as the victim given his previous clash with the Dagestani wrestler.
Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov was arrested following the incident. Along with Dvalishvili and Saba Lazishvili, the PFL champion remains in police custody as authorities continue their investigation.
The fallout will certainly affect Dvalishvili’s upcoming RAF appearance against Marlon Moraes. The Georgian was notably absent from the face-offs for the November 14 event, casting further doubt over whether the matchup will go ahead.
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.
