Abu Dhabi police said they arrested 10 people after former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov got into a hotel brawl. Footage of the fight has circulated on social media.
The police said in a statement that eight individuals involved in the fight that occurred at the entrance of the hotel were arrested following previous disputes between them, per Reuters. They also arrested two individuals who filmed the incident.
🚨 Full footage of the scuffle between Usman Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili https://t.co/SGJzkQdFif
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 11, 2026
Footage of the brawl showed Dvalishvili, who is in Abu Dhabi for a Real American Freestyle event this weekend, giving an interview in the hotel lobby. Nurmagomedov and others approached Dvalishvili from behind, and Nurmagomedov struck Dvalishvili across the face, triggering the brawl between each side. Photos of Dvalishvili’s bloodied face after the scuffle also circulated online.
There is also a video where Dvalishvili called Nurmagomedov and his camp “snakes.”
What a sneaky way, guys. What kind of fighters you guys are? What kind of man does this? If you want to try, let’s do it the real way.
Ariel Helwani reported Thursday morning that almost 24 hours after the fight, everyone involved, including Dvalishvili and his friend Saba (Lazishvili), is still being detained by local authorities.
