Abu Dhabi [UAE], November 12 (ANI): Russian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Usman Nurmagomedov and others involved in a physical altercation with former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili have been detained in Abu Dhabi for questioning, according to Russian news agency TASS.
According to TASS, those involved in the incident were detained to establish the circumstances surrounding the altercation. Authorities are investigating the matter.
The incident took place on Wednesday in a hotel lobby in Abu Dhabi, where Dvalishvili is currently staying ahead of Saturday's Real American Freestyle (RAF) event.
The Georgian fighter took to social media following the confrontation, alleging that Nurmagomedov and members of his team had attacked him and a companion while he was giving an interview.
"I was doing an interview for RAF in the hotel lobby, and Usman and his buddies came up from behind and started beating me and my young friend. Security was holding me back — they kept kicking us when we were down," Dvalishvili wrote on X.
Videos of the confrontation circulated widely on social media. Footage shared online showed Nurmagomedov approaching Dvalishvili from behind and slapping him, following which the Georgian fighter attempted to confront him. The situation soon escalated into a scuffle involving several members of both camps.
Dvalishvili later shared a video showing his bloodied face and a visibly swollen left eye. He also criticised the manner in which the confrontation took place, questioning the conduct of Nurmagomedov and his associates. He referred to Nurmagomedov and his camp as "snakes," citing how they attacked him and his companion from behind.
The confrontation is the latest development in the long-running tensions between Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov camp.
According to TASS, in January 2025, Dvalishvili defeated Usman's elder brother, Umar Nurmagomedov, to successfully defend his UFC bantamweight title. The Georgian subsequently lost the championship to Petr Yan, who currently holds the belt.
Both Dvalishvili and Umar are scheduled to compete at the RAF event on Saturday. Dvalishvili is set to face former UFC title challenger Marlon Moraes, while Umar is scheduled to take on former UFC champion Urijah Faber.
Usman Nurmagomedov, 28, is the PFL lightweight champion and boasts 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 established himself as one of the division's leading fighters before losing the title to Yan. (ANI)
Usman Nurmagomedov, Merab Dvalishvili detained after Abu Dhabi hotel brawl
