UFC star Merab Dvalishvili attacked by Usman Nurmagomedov in wild Abu Dhabi scene

Former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili says he was attacked in a hotel lobby in Abu Dhabi by a group led by fellow MMA fighter Usman Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili’s account matters because the alleged assault brings a long-running rivalry between their camps into a public confrontation outside the octagon.

Dvalishvili said he was being interviewed for the Real American Freestyle wrestling league when the group approached him and a friend from behind and began punching them. He alleged that security restrained him while the group continued kicking them; video of the confrontation had 3.1 million views by Thursday morning. The camps have a history: Dvalishvili beat Usman’s brother, Umar Nurmagomedov, by unanimous decision at UFC 311 in January 2025, and neither UFC nor RAF had commented on the incident by Thursday.