Russian MMA fighter Usman Nurmagomedov and former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili have been detained in Abu Dhabi following a mass brawl at a hotel. Law enforcement officers also brought other participants involved in the altercation to the police station. This was reported by prominent sports journalist and MMA insider Ariel Helwani.
“According to the latest information I’m getting, everyone involved in the altercation between Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov, including Merab himself and his friend, is currently at the police station being questioned. As I understand it, Merab is not the one who filed the complaint, but because the incident occurred in a public place and was captured on CCTV cameras, everyone involved was brought in.”
Helwani added that what interests him most is whether the UFC will sign a contract with Nurmagomedov following the incident and how the promotion will respond to the situation.
“There are several angles to discuss here. First, the obvious question arises: how could anyone even think of doing this, and why? But there is also another, business aspect: Usman Nurmagomedov is one of the best lightweights in the world, and he is currently a free agent. Should the UFC sign a fighter who allows himself to behave like this toward another athlete in the promotion, and a former champion at that? Especially considering that in the past, the promotion has declined to sign certain fighters (such as Muhammad Mokaev) precisely because of their misconduct.”
As previously reported, the Russian mixed martial artist and his team engaged in a brawl with Georgian fighter Merab Dvalishvili in the lobby of an Abu Dhabi hotel on November 11. According to media reports, the Russian fighter could face up to a year in prison or a substantial fine.
Dvalishvili accused Russia’s Nurmagomedov of a “cowardly” mob attack from behind. The moment was captured on video: the Georgian fighter was giving an interview to a media outlet when a group of men approached from behind and almost immediately initiated a fight.
On his social media accounts, Dvalishvili posted a video showing him and his friend having their wounds treated. The athlete stated that he was fine and accused his opponents of cowardice:
“Such a cowardly move, guys. There were only two of us—me and my friend. We came here to Abu Dhabi, and Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends attacked us from behind like snakes. What kind of fighters are you? How can a man even do that, brother? If you want to talk or fight, let’s do it like men, fair and square. You attacked when there were only two of us, and you prepared beforehand, brother. What the hell?”