Merab Dvalishvili arrived in Abu Dhabi to compete in a wrestling match. Instead, the former UFC bantamweight champion found himself in a hotel-lobby brawl with Usman Nurmagomedov and members of his entourage, leaving him bloodied and triggering a police investigation that has now resulted in 10 arrests.
The confrontation happened on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at the Hilton Yas Island hotel, where Dvalishvili was participating in an interview ahead of Saturday's Real American Freestyle (RAF) event.
Footage shows Nurmagomedov approaching the Georgian fighter with several other men, exchanging words and striking him across the face. The situation quickly escalated into a physical confrontation involving people from both sides.
Dvalishvili says he and a 21-year-old Georgian wrestler were attacked by a much larger group, which he accused of continuing to strike them while security attempted to intervene.
By Thursday, Abu Dhabi Police had confirmed 10 arrests, RAF had barred Usman Nurmagomedov from attending its upcoming event, and questions were growing over whether Dvalishvili would be able to compete this weekend.
What happened between Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov in Abu Dhabi?
The encounter took place during preparations for RAF Abu Dhabi, scheduled for November 14 at Etihad Arena.
Dvalishvili was in the hotel lobby with his young Georgian friend when Nurmagomedov approached accompanied by several associates.
In footage recorded from inside the hotel, Nurmagomedov can be seen coming toward Dvalishvili from behind. The two exchange words before Nurmagomedov slaps him across the face.
That initial strike triggers a chaotic brawl. Several people become involved, and the confrontation spreads across the lobby as hotel security attempts to separate the participants.
The video establishes that Nurmagomedov initiated the visible physical exchange. It does not, however, independently establish every subsequent action or the identity of everyone who participated.
Dvalishvili later published footage showing blood running down his face while he received medical attention. His friend also appeared to have sustained facial injuries.
In his account, Dvalishvili claimed the group approached unexpectedly during the interview and accused security personnel of restraining him while his opponents continued attacking.
He described the incident as a cowardly attack and argued that professional fighters should settle their differences through legitimate competition rather than confrontations involving large groups.
Dvalishvili also estimated that approximately 20 people were involved on the opposing side. That figure remains his account rather than an independently verified number of attackers.
The distinction matters because the footage captures only parts of the confrontation, and the police have not publicly identified every person involved.
Who is Saba Lazishvili, the 21-year-old wrestler who fought alongside Merab?
One of the most interesting details to emerge from the confrontation concerns the young man who accompanied Dvalishvili.
His name is Saba Lazishvili, a 21-year-old Georgian wrestler and the younger brother of former UFC fighter Zviad Lazishvili.
Unlike the established MMA stars involved in the incident, Saba has no widely documented professional MMA career. His competitive background is in wrestling.
According to Dvalishvili, the young Georgian did considerably more than simply attempt to defend himself.
Speaking about the confrontation afterward, Merab claimed that Saba fought both Usman and Umar Nurmagomedov during the brawl.
Dvalishvili also said his friend had become interested in transitioning from wrestling to mixed martial arts following the incident.
🚨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.
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 11, 2026
“My young friend, he’s only a 21-year-old wrestler from Georgia, and he was with me. He fought both brothers, Usman… pic.twitter.com/Wk3ewKU63K
Online accounts subsequently identified Lazishvili and highlighted his wrestling background, turning him into an unexpected talking point alongside the two established MMA fighters.
Merab Dvalishvili’s friend is @sabaalazishvili , 21 years old brother of Zviad Lazishvili (former UFC) who is a Georgian wrestler, who never fought in MMA 🤯
— MMA Pros Pick (@MMA_PROS_PICK_) November 11, 2026
They were only two against all of them. pic.twitter.com/q6hzQ9IlUZ
There are limits to what can be established from the available videos. Although Merab specifically says Saba fought both Nurmagomedov brothers, the complete sequence and each person's involvement cannot be independently reconstructed from the circulated footage.
Still, the young wrestler's involvement is significant. He entered the situation as a relatively unknown athlete and has now attracted international attention because of a confrontation with members of one of MMA's most recognizable fighting families.
Was Umar Nurmagomedov involved in the attack?
Usman Nurmagomedov's involvement is visible in the footage, but his older brother Umar's role requires more careful explanation.
Dvalishvili has explicitly accused both brothers of participating.
Some reports also identify Umar as having been involved in the wider confrontation. However, the available video does not clearly establish every action attributed to him.
Umar is in Abu Dhabi because he is scheduled to face former UFC bantamweight champion Urijah Faber in a wrestling match at RAF Abu Dhabi.
Usman, meanwhile, is not competing on Saturday's card. He had traveled to the event in support of his brother.
The distinction between the brothers is particularly important because the original competitive rivalry was between Merab and Umar, not Merab and Usman.
Usman is primarily known for his lightweight championship success in Bellator and the Professional Fighters League, while Umar has competed against Dvalishvili directly in the UFC's bantamweight division.
Why do Merab Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov family have a feud?
The hostility did not begin in Abu Dhabi.
Merab and Umar Nurmagomedov developed a contentious rivalry before their UFC bantamweight championship fight at UFC 311 in January 2025.
After months of verbal exchanges, Dvalishvili defeated Umar by unanimous decision, handing him his first professional MMA loss and successfully defending the bantamweight championship.
Rather than disappearing after the fight, the tensions continued between their respective camps.
Another important incident occurred in July 2026, when Dvalishvili became involved in a backstage confrontation with Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov, a fighter associated with Umar's team, during an RAF event in Georgia.
Merab slapped Gadzhimagomedov during that encounter, and the incident became another source of accusations between the camps.
Following the latest confrontation, UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev publicly defended Usman Nurmagomedov by referring to that earlier incident.
Makhachev argued that criticism of Usman's conduct ignored Dvalishvili's previous behavior toward a member of their team. In his view, Merab's actions in Georgia had started the hostility that eventually led to the Abu Dhabi confrontation.
That explanation provides context for the dispute, but it does not change what the new footage shows: Usman approached Dvalishvili during an interview and initiated the visible physical exchange.
The situation has now escalated beyond a rivalry between two bantamweight contenders into a dispute involving multiple prominent fighters, their training partners and local authorities.
Abu Dhabi Police confirm 10 arrests after hotel brawl
On Thursday, November 12, Abu Dhabi Police confirmed that 10 people had been arrested following the confrontation.
According to the police statement, eight individuals were arrested in connection with the fight itself. Two additional people were arrested for filming the incident.
The authorities described the confrontation as arising from previous disagreements between those involved and said the case had been referred to the Public Prosecution for further proceedings.
The police statement did not publicly identify all 10 people or establish individual criminal responsibility.
Reports indicated that Dvalishvili, Nurmagomedov and other participants had been detained or questioned as authorities investigated the incident.
Zviad Lazishvili, the former UFC fighter and Saba's older brother, subsequently said that Merab and Saba were still being held by authorities.
He claimed they could remain detained for up to 48 hours while officials considered the next steps and argued that they had been defending themselves.
Those comments reflected their reported status when he made the statement. They do not establish how long the two will ultimately remain in custody or what legal decisions will follow.
There has been no independently confirmed final ruling or conviction arising from the incident as of November 12.
One particularly unusual detail is the arrest of the two people who filmed the altercation. Their involvement demonstrates that the investigation extends beyond the fighters themselves and includes the handling of footage recorded at the scene.
RAF bans Usman Nurmagomedov from Abu Dhabi event
The incident has already produced a confirmed consequence for Usman Nurmagomedov.
During Thursday's RAF Abu Dhabi press conference, promotion co-founder Chad Bronstein announced that Usman would not be permitted to attend Saturday's event.
Bronstein said the organization did not condone what happened and was working with the relevant authorities while attempting to resolve the situation.
This is an event-access restriction imposed by RAF, not a confirmed suspension from professional MMA or a ban issued by the UFC.
Usman was not scheduled to compete at RAF Abu Dhabi, so his absence does not directly remove a participant from the card.
However, the uncertainty surrounding Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov is another matter.
Both fighters were absent from Thursday's press conference, and RAF has not guaranteed that their scheduled wrestling matches will proceed.
Bronstein said the promotion was hoping Dvalishvili would still compete, but the legal situation had to be resolved first.
Will Merab Dvalishvili still fight Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi?
Dvalishvili is scheduled to face former UFC bantamweight contender Marlon Moraes in a wrestling match on Saturday, November 14, at Etihad Arena.
The appearance would be part of Real American Freestyle's first event in the Middle East.
Unlike a conventional UFC fight, the scheduled contest is a wrestling match rather than a professional MMA bout.
As of November 12, the matchup has not been officially confirmed as canceled. But Dvalishvili's reported detention and the unresolved legal investigation make his participation uncertain.
Umar Nurmagomedov's scheduled wrestling match against Urijah Faber is also facing uncertainty.
RAF is expected to assess the situation as more information becomes available from the authorities.
The hotel confrontation could therefore affect two of the event's most recognizable attractions even though the dispute itself occurred outside competition.
Could the incident affect Usman Nurmagomedov's UFC future?
The timing is especially awkward for Usman Nurmagomedov.
The undefeated Russian has been one of the most sought-after lightweights outside the UFC, having won championships in Bellator and the PFL.
His most recent professional victory came against Archie Colgan in July 2026, when he successfully defended his lightweight championship by first-round knockout.
With his PFL contract situation generating considerable speculation, a potential move to the UFC has become one of the major stories surrounding his career.
UFC president Dana White had previously expressed interest in signing him. However, no UFC contract has been officially confirmed.
The Abu Dhabi incident now introduces another complication into that conversation.
There is no confirmed UFC disciplinary action against Usman, and it would be premature to suggest that the organization has decided against signing him.
Nevertheless, a police investigation involving a fighter being considered for a major contract is unlikely to be irrelevant to the organizations evaluating his future.
For Dvalishvili, the immediate priority is different. He is attempting to move forward after losing his UFC bantamweight championship to Petr Yan at UFC 333 on October 24.
That trilogy ended with Yan winning by unanimous decision after five rounds. Readers can revisit the performance in our Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili 3 highlights.
Less than three weeks later, Merab is dealing with an entirely different kind of confrontation, one that may have consequences well beyond his next scheduled match.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Usman Nurmagomedov incident FAQ
Why did Usman Nurmagomedov attack Merab Dvalishvili?
The confrontation followed a longstanding dispute between Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov camp, including Merab's UFC 311 victory over Umar and a separate backstage incident in Georgia in July 2026. The exact immediate motivation for Usman's actions has not been independently established.
Where did Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov fight?
The brawl occurred on November 11, 2026, in the lobby and entrance area of the Hilton Yas Island hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, during preparations for RAF Abu Dhabi.
Was Merab Dvalishvili injured in the hotel attack?
Yes. Footage published after the confrontation shows Dvalishvili bleeding from his face and receiving medical attention. His friend Saba Lazishvili also appeared injured. The full extent of their injuries has not been independently confirmed.
Who is Saba Lazishvili, Merab's friend?
Saba Lazishvili is a 21-year-old Georgian wrestler and younger brother of former UFC fighter Zviad Lazishvili. Dvalishvili claims Saba fought both Usman and Umar Nurmagomedov during the confrontation, although that complete sequence has not been independently verified.
How many people were arrested after the Nurmagomedov–Dvalishvili brawl?
Abu Dhabi Police confirmed 10 arrests on November 12. Eight people were arrested in connection with the fighting, while two others were arrested for filming the incident. The case was referred to prosecutors.
Was Usman Nurmagomedov banned from the UFC?
No UFC ban has been announced. Real American Freestyle has barred Usman Nurmagomedov from attending its November 14 event in Abu Dhabi. That restriction should not be confused with a professional fighting suspension.
Was Umar Nurmagomedov involved in the brawl?
Merab Dvalishvili alleges that Umar participated alongside his brother Usman. Some reports identify Umar as involved, but the available footage does not independently establish every action attributed to him.
Will Merab Dvalishvili compete at RAF Abu Dhabi on November 14?
His scheduled wrestling match against Marlon Moraes remains uncertain as of November 12. RAF officials hope he can participate but are waiting for clarity regarding the police investigation and his availability.