Usman Nurmagomedov has come under fire following the controversial altercation involving Merab Dvalishvili and Saba Lazishvili in Abu Dhabi. Video footage showed the Dagestani entourage confronting the Georgian duo, with the PFL champion initiating the physical confrontation by slapping Dvalishvili.
What followed was a chaotic all-out brawl, as several members of Nurmagomedov’s entourage joined the altercation and the Georgians fought back. The incident has sparked widespread debate across the MMA community, with prominent fighters such as Ilia Topuria, Sean Strickland, Roman Dolidze, and Aljamain Sterling weighing in on the controversy.
However, Arman Tsarukyan has offered a different perspective on the entire situation. Speaking at an RAF press conference, the Armenian suggested that altercations like these are part of combat sports. He also argued that the incident between Nurmagomedov and Dvalishvili gained significant attention primarily because someone from the Dagestani camp recorded it and the footage went viral.
Now, the UFC lightweight contender has suggested that what happened to Dvalishvili was inevitable. He pointed to an earlier incident at RAF Georgia in July 2026, where the former UFC bantamweight champion was scheduled to face Henry Cejudo in Tbilisi.
Arman Tsarukyan comes out in support of Usman Nurmagomedov and says this was “inevitable” 😬
“It was bound to happen. I was just surprised nothing happened the last time Merab was here. There was bound to be retaliation, and it happened.
Your brother was attacked, and nothing was done about it. He just wanted to do the same thing to him. I don’t think he wanted an actual fight. He just wanted to hit him the same way.”
(via @AdamZubayraev)
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 12, 2026
During the event, Dvalishvili had a heated confrontation with Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov, a Dagestani wrestler and friend of Nurmagomedov, who challenged ‘The Machine’ over his dismissive comments about facing Umar Nurmagomedov in a wrestling bout.
Footage of the confrontation showed Dvalishvili grabbing Gadzhimagomedov by the neck and shoving him following their heated exchange. While Dana White has condemned the latest altercation and clarified that the PFL champion has not signed with the UFC, Tsarukyan believes the promotion could potentially capitalize on the situation to build a major rivalry involving Nurmagomedov and Ilia Topuria.
Speaking in a recent vlog with Adam Zubayraev on his Hustle Vlog, Tsarukyan shared his thoughts on how the UFC might view the controversy.
He opined, “On the contrary, (the UFC will like it), the UFC loves guys like this. Yes (the UFC are a business), let’s say the fight between Usman and Ilia (Topuria) happens now, how cool will that be?”
And this is not an entirely far-fetched possibility. The UFC has previously turned a major backstage controversy into one of the biggest rivalries in MMA history. Following Conor McGregor’s infamous UFC 223 dolly attack on the bus carrying Khabib Nurmagomedov and other fighters, the promotion built the rivalry into the blockbuster UFC 229 main event.
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
A similar approach could potentially work with Nurmagomedov. If the promotion signs the undefeated lightweight, it could use the recent controversy to introduce him to a wider audience before potentially matching him against Topuria in a blockbuster debut.
The UFC could even explore a rematch between Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov on the same card, potentially positioning it as the co-main event. Such a lineup would bring together several interconnected rivalries and give the promotion a major storyline to market.
However, Nurmagomedov and other members of his entourage reportedly face six-month prison sentences and fines of approximately $82,000 each following the Abu Dhabi brawl. With the legal consequences adding another complication to the situation, it remains to be seen whether the individuals sentenced will actually serve their prison terms and how the controversy could affect Nurmagomedov’s future career.
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.
