Russian mixed martial arts fighter Usman Nurmagomedov and former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili were detained in Abu Dhabi for questioning following a physical altercation in a hotel lobby, according to Russian news agency TASS.
The brawl occurred on Wednesday while Dvalishvili was staying in Abu Dhabi ahead of Saturday's Real American Freestyle (RAF) event. Authorities have detained those involved to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Following the confrontation, Dvalishvili alleged on social media that Nurmagomedov and members of his team attacked him and a companion during an interview. He stated on
Video footage circulating on social media shows Nurmagomedov approaching Dvalishvili from behind and slapping him, after which the Georgian fighter attempted to respond physically. The situation escalated into a scuffle involving several members of both camps.
Dvalishvili later posted a video displaying a bloodied face and a swollen left eye. He criticized Nurmagomedov and his associates, referring to them as “snakes” for attacking him and his companion from behind.
This incident adds to ongoing tensions between Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov camp. In January 2025, Dvalishvili defeated Usman's elder brother, Umar Nurmagomedov, to successfully defend his UFC bantamweight title. Dvalishvili later lost the championship to Petr Yan, the current titleholder.
Both fighters are scheduled to compete at the RAF event on Saturday. Dvalishvili is set to face former UFC title challenger Marlon Moraes, while Umar Nurmagomedov will fight former UFC champion Urijah Faber.
Usman Nurmagomedov, aged 28, is the PFL lightweight champion and holds an unbeaten professional MMA record of 22 victories. He is also a second cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Dvalishvili, 35, won the UFC bantamweight championship in 2024 and was one of the division's leading fighters before losing the title to Yan.