UAE Police Question Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov After Violent Brawl
MMA fighters Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov were questioned by police in Abu Dhabi following a violent, filmed altercation that erupted between the two sides.
- MMA fighters Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov were questioned by UAE police in Abu Dhabi following a violent brawl.
- The fight broke out and was caught on camera in a public area on the sidelines of an RAF grappling event, prompting authorities to intervene and detain those involved.
- Dvalishvili accused Nurmagomedov and his entourage of brutally attacking him and his friend, kicking them on the ground and leaving him with visible cuts and bruises.
- Media reports confirm an investigation has been opened into the documented incident, though there is no indication that Dvalishvili has filed a formal complaint so far.
Merab Dvalishvili, the Georgian mixed martial artist who was in Abu Dhabi to compete in a wrestling match, was brutally attacked by Russian MMA fighter Usman Nurmagomedov and his entourage. Local police have taken up the case for investigation.
Did Violence with Serious Consequences Break Out?
According to combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani, Merab Dvalishvili (35) and Usman Nurmagomedov (28) are facing serious trouble following their violent altercation. They were taken to a police station on Wednesday for questioning regarding the incident, which occurred in Abu Dhabi (UAE) on the sidelines of an event hosted by RAF, a new freestyle wrestling organization launched last year.
A Brawl Filmed in a Public Place
Merab Dvalishvili, the former UFC bantamweight champion who is scheduled to face Brazil's Marlon Moraes this weekend in Georgia, accused Usman Nurmagomedov and his team of violently assaulting him. Widely circulated social media videos show Dvalishvili, who holds both American and Georgian citizenship, promoting RAF before being interrupted by Nurmagomedov and members of his team, after which a physical fight ensued between the two parties.
"Usman and his friends came from behind and started hitting me and my little friend. The security guards were holding me back. They kept kicking us like losers while we were on the ground. You are nothing but cowards. You are not real men," Dvalishvili protested on social media, his face covered in bruises and blood.
According to journalist Ariel Helwani, there is no indication that Dvalishvili filed a formal complaint against Usman Nurmagomedov, whom his brother Umar defeated in January 2025 at UFC 331.
Nonetheless, because the incident occurred in a public place and was caught on camera, UAE police reportedly detained all those involved. Ariel Helwani commented: "Objectively, what happened to Merab is criminal behavior. It's all on video. It's not a he-said-she-said situation. They walked up to him as a group, slapped him, and then jumped him and his friend."
France News / Agencies
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