Former UFC champion Merab claims assault by Nurmagomedov brothers in Abu Dhabi hotel

Merab bloodied during interview at Abu Dhabi hotel; TASS says local authorities detained those involved

Merab Dvalishvili (left, Georgia) celebrates after defeating Umar Nurmagomedov (Russia) in the UFC 311 bantamweight title bout at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, in January last year. [Getty Images]

Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili (35, Georgia) has claimed he was attacked by members of the Nurmagomedov brothers' camp, his longtime rivals. Footage showing Dvalishvili with a bloodied face and video of the confrontation have sent shockwaves through the combat sports world.

According to CBS Sports, MMA Fighting and other outlets, Dvalishvili was conducting an interview in the lobby of a hotel in Abu Dhabi, UAE, related to the wrestling event Real American Freestyle (RAF), when he clashed with a group accompanying Usman Nurmagomedov (28, Russia) on Thursday (Korean Standard Time).

Dvalishvili posted footage on his social media showing himself bleeding from the face and claimed that Usman and his older brother Umar Nurmagomedov (30, Russia) attacked a friend who was with him.

"I was doing an interview in the hotel lobby when Usman and his friends came from behind and started hitting me and my young friend," Dvalishvili said. "Even while their security guards were holding me down, they kept kicking us while we were on the ground."

He added: "There were only two of us, and Usman and his friends approached from behind like snakes. What kind of fighters are you? If you want to fight, fight fair."

The footage shows a man believed to be Usman approaching Dvalishvili from behind during the interview and throwing punches, after which several people become entangled. Dvalishvili sustained a wound to the head and was seen bleeding from the face, and a friend who accompanied him also showed signs of injury. However, it could not be confirmed from the footage alone whether Umar directly participated in the assault.

Ilia Topuria, a former UFC two-division champion, also shared the confrontation video on social media and condemned those identified as the aggressors. The post was later deleted.

Video shared by former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili (right) on his social media shows him being struck in the face by rival Usman Nurmagomedov in a hotel lobby. [Captured from Dvalishvili's social media]

Russia's TASS news agency, citing a source, reported that Usman and others involved in the incident were detained in Abu Dhabi and questioned about the circumstances of the altercation. No official statement from local authorities, specific charges, or information on any legal proceedings has been confirmed.

The bad blood between Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov camp traces back to a UFC title fight last year. In January 2025, Dvalishvili defeated then-undefeated challenger Umar by unanimous decision at UFC 311, successfully defending the bantamweight title. Tensions between the two sides had flared before the bout and public exchanges continued afterward.

Umar and Usman are brothers and cousins of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Umar competes in the UFC bantamweight division, while Usman is an undefeated fighter who held lightweight titles in both Bellator and the PFL. His PFL contract has since expired, leaving him a free agent, and a potential move to the UFC has been discussed.

Dvalishvili captured the UFC bantamweight title in September 2024 by defeating Sean O'Malley and successfully defended it three times. He lost the belt by decision to Petr Yan last December and was defeated again in a rematch last month.

Dvalishvili is scheduled to compete in a wrestling match against former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon Moraes at the RAF event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Umar is also set to appear at the same event, facing Urijah Faber. It remains to be seen how the incident will affect Dvalishvili's participation.

yjc@heraldcorp.com