Merab Dvalishvili Says Usman Nurmagomedov and Friends Attacked Him in Abu Dhabi

Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili said on Wednesday that he and a young friend were attacked from behind in a hotel lobby in Abu Dhabi while he was doing an interview for RAF. He accused Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends of carrying out the attack. Every detail of the alleged attack in the reports published so far comes from Dvalishvili's own account. Usman Nurmagomedov, his brother Umar Nurmagomedov and their team had issued no statement at the time of the reports.

What Dvalishvili said happened

Dvalishvili gave his account on social media. "Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends came like snakes from behind!" he wrote. In a longer written account reported by MMA Mania, he said: "I was doing an interview for RAF in the hotel lobby and Usman and his buddies came up from behind and started punching me and my young friend. Security was holding me. They kept kicking us when we were down like losers." The account names Usman Nurmagomedov directly. It is an allegation, and it is reported here as an allegation.

What the video showed

Video that Dvalishvili shared showed him receiving medical attention, Bloody Elbow reported. Blood was visible on his face, and the area around his left eye looked severely swollen. The video was shared by Dvalishvili himself as part of his account of the incident. The reports published on Wednesday rest on that account, and no statement from Usman Nurmagomedov, Umar Nurmagomedov or their team had been issued at the time of the reports checked by MMA Junkie, MMA Fighting, Bloody Elbow, MMA Mania and MMA Weekly.

His Saturday match

Dvalishvili is scheduled to wrestle Marlon Moraes on Saturday at RAF Abu Dhabi. Bloody Elbow reported that it was unclear whether the match would go ahead after the alleged incident. BoxingNews, citing MMA Fighting, reported that Dvalishvili said he had no serious injury and remained scheduled for the match. The two reports differ. No final status for the Saturday match had been confirmed at the time of the reports, and this article does not state one.

The rivalry behind the claim

Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov camp have an ongoing rivalry. Dvalishvili beat Usman's brother Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision at UFC 311 in January 2025, a win that defended his UFC bantamweight title. Usman Nurmagomedov is a former Bellator and PFL lightweight champion. He is currently a free agent after his PFL contract. Two questions were open at the time of the reports: whether the Nurmagomedov team responds to the allegation, and whether the Saturday match in Abu Dhabi goes ahead.

Timeline

Jan 2025: Dvalishvili beats Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision at UFC 311 to defend the UFC bantamweight title.

Nov 11, 2026: Dvalishvili says he was attacked from behind in an Abu Dhabi hotel lobby and accuses Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends.

Nov 14, 2026: Dvalishvili is scheduled to wrestle Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi. Reports differ on whether the match goes ahead.