MMA fighters, including former UFC champ, get into wild melee at Abu Dhabi hotel lobby

The altercation occurred while Dvalishvili was conducting an interview for Real American Freestyle. Usman Nurmagomedov approached from behind and slapped Dvalishvili, triggering a brawl that involved at least six people. The incident left the former champion bloodied and required medical attention.

Dvalishvili later posted an Instagram video of himself receiving treatment, captioning it with a detailed account of the attack. He claimed he and a friend were outnumbered by Nurmagomedov and his group, who he described as acting like 'snakes from behind'.

Fighter's Response

What a sneaky way, just two of us, me and my friend came here in Abu Dhabi, and Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends came like snakes from behind,' Dvalishvili said in his post. 'What kind of fighters you guys are? What kind of man does this? If you want to talk and fight, let's do it the real way.'

The Georgian fighter emphasized that he prefers direct confrontation, stating: 'We bleed, we fight, we war, but you guys are just sneaky guys. You guys aren't real men. This shows your guys' character, shows you guys are not real men.'

Background Context

Dvalishvili defeated Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January 2025, defending his bantamweight title before eventually losing it to Petr Yan in December 2025. He had a rematch against Yan on October 24, 2026, which he also lost by unanimous decision.

Usman Nurmagomedov is currently the Professional Fighters League lightweight champion and is first cousins with former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. The Nurmagomedov family has a significant presence in MMA, with Khabib coaching current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.

Both fighters remain in Abu Dhabi for scheduled events - Dvalishvili for this Saturday's RAF event against Marlon Moraes, while Usman Nurmagomedov continues his training as PFL lightweight champion.