RAF Abu Dhabi Fight Week took a shocking turn as Usman Nurmagomedov and a group of Dagestani fighters launched a sneak attack on Merab Dvalishvili. The former UFC bantamweight champion is scheduled to wrestle Marlon Moraes at the event this weekend.
However, just a day before the event, 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, later 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 included PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov and Umar Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili detailed the incident 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
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In the video, the former UFC champion also expressed his anger over the alleged attack, 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!”
Further footage of the altercation subsequently emerged, courtesy of Ilia Topuria, who condemned the Dagestani fighters’ actions and promised repercussions for the attack.
The footage shows Dvalishvili speaking with reporters in the hotel lobby when he is approached by the PFL champion. Nurmagomedov then appears to strike the Georgian in the face, triggering a massive brawl.
🚨 Full footage of the scuffle between Usman Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili https://t.co/SGJzkQdFif
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 11, 2026
Lazishvili immediately jumped in to defend his friend and was even seen taking down two members of Nurmagomedov’s group during the ensuing chaos. As of now, the individuals involved in the altercation have reportedly been taken to a police station for questioning.
Meanwhile, the incident has drawn widespread condemnation from the MMA community, with several critics calling out Nurmagomedov for allegedly taking a cheap shot at Dvalishvili and ganging up on him.
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
🚨UPDATE: Merab Dvalishvili claims his 21-year-old wrestler friend fought both Usman and Umar Nurmagomedov during the altercation, and now wants to switch to MMA.
“My young friend, he’s only a 21-year-old wrestler from Georgia, and he was with me. He fought both brothers, Usman and Umar. He said, ‘I’m moving to MMA if two guys can only do this to me.’ And then he also fought the other guys. Oh my God. Security was holding me, and they were kicking and punching us. What the heck? Life is good, guys. Everything is good. Everything is good.”
Via @MerabDvalishvil
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 11, 2026
Usman Nurmagomedov is the definition of a bitch.. These guys all run around pretending to be hard but they all act like fucking dogs waiting to attack you when youre not looking….
Is this a muslim behavior or is he just a bitch?
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) November 11, 2026
Utterly disgusting.
The same people assaulted my supporters in Dubai for no reason.
How can this team ever speak about humility and respect.
And yet there will be no repercussions.
— Paul Hughes MMA (@paulhughesmma) November 11, 2026
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I’m loving the #CONORWASRIGHT #CONORWASRIGHTALLALONG trending right now!
Thanks guys, I love you all too! ❤️🙏
It’s all love, keep your eyes on the prize!
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 11, 2026
WTF!!!!! I hope merab sues them for millions.
— Tim Welch (@TimwelchMT) November 11, 2026
You gottta be fucking scum of the earth to do that to such an amazing person like Merab.
Lock these rats up and throw away the key. 🐀 🐱
— Matt “The Steamrolla”Frevola (@SteamRollaa) November 11, 2026
Alex Hernandez and Brandon Royval react to footage of Usman Nurmagomedov and his team jumping Merab Dvalishvili:
“That’s the most lame, deplorable shit of all time.
Walking up, they’ve already got the camera out. They had a huddle, discussed it, and then walked over, tapped him, slapped him. They were filming it too, which is crazy.
Just the fact that they premeditated it, filmed it… I don’t understand what the angle was on that or what they expected to come of it.” – @TheGreat155
“You know what’s the coolest thing out of all that? The dude that he was with held it down, bro. It was like 10 on 2.” – @brandonroyval
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 11, 2026
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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.
