Former UFC champion Dvalishvili injured in attack by Usman Nurmagomedov in Abu Dhabi

Incident at Abu Dhabi hotel

On November 11, an aggressive altercation involving prominent athletes took place at a hotel in Abu Dhabi. Usman Nurmagomedov, a Russian champion of the RFL (Professional Fighters League, a major American mixed martial arts organisation considered the main competitor to the UFC), along with several companions, attacked former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili. At the time of the incident, the Georgian wrestler was in the city preparing to participate in the Real American Freestyle (RAF) wrestling league tournament.

Account from the victim

Dvalishvili detailed the sequence of events on his social media. According to him, he was in the hotel lobby, answering questions from the event organisers. Unexpectedly, Nurmagomedov and his acquaintances approached him from behind and immediately began striking not only the Georgian but also his companion who was nearby.

«Усман і його друзі підійшли ззаду й почали бити мене та мого молодого друга. Охорона утримувала мене, а вони продовжували штовхати нас ногами, коли ми вже лежали на підлозі» (Usman and his friends approached from behind and started hitting me and my young friend. Security was holding me back, while they continued to kick us as we were already lying on the floor), Dvalishvili emphasised.

Following the attack, the athlete published a video recording clearly showing blood on his face and physical injuries. In a subsequent clip, the former UFC champion noted that he and his friend were attacked by a numerically superior group of people.

«Нас було лише двоє. Ми приїхали до Абу-Дабі, а Усман Нурмагомедов і його друзі підкралися ззаду, наче змії. Що це за бійці? Що це за чоловіки, які так чинять? Якщо хочете битися, давайте зробимо це чесно» (There were only two of us. We came to Abu Dhabi, and Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends crept up from behind like snakes. What kind of fighters are these? What kind of men act like this? If you want to fight, let us do it fairly), Merab added.

Video recording of the conflict

Moments of the altercation were captured on video, and the footage was published online by another former UFC champion, Ilia Topuria. In the 37-second clip, Dvalishvili is seen preparing for a promotional shoot for RAF when a group of men approaches him. One of them, presumably Nurmagomedov, strikes the Georgian in the face, after which the recording shows a scuffle involving several people.

Background of the conflict and future plans

This incident is not isolated. Tense relations between Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov family have persisted since January 2025. At that time, at the UFC 311 tournament, the Georgian faced Umar Nurmagomedov and secured a unanimous decision victory, retaining his title in the flyweight division.

Despite the injuries sustained, Dvalishvili stated that he feels fine and the incident will not prevent him from competing on schedule. On November 14 in Abu Dhabi, he is scheduled to compete in a freestyle wrestling match against former UFC fighter Marlon Moraes at the RAF event.