Abu Dhabi police arrest 10 over Dvalishvili-Nurmagomedov brawl; Usman out of RAF event

Abu Dhabi Police said on Thursday they had arrested 10 people over Wednesday's hotel brawl between Merab Dvalishvili, Usman Nurmagomedov and their camps. Eight were involved in the fight and two filmed it, according to The National. All 10 have been referred to the Public Prosecution. Police did not name anyone.

On Thursday, RAF co-founder Chad Bronstein said Usman won't attend Saturday's RAF Abu Dhabi wrestling event. "And obviously, Usman will not be attending our event on Saturday night," he said, according to Yahoo Sports.

What happened

Dvalishvili was giving an interview in the lobby when Usman came up from behind and slapped him, according to ESPN and The National. ESPN says videos show Dvalishvili going after him and both camps joining in. The National names the hotel as the Yas Hilton. Police said only that the fight took place "at the entrance of a hotel", as quoted by Sherdog.

Dvalishvili needed a medic for a cut on his face. In a post afterwards, he said "Usman and his buddies came up from behind and started punching me and my young friend." His friend Saba Lazishvili was also in the fight, according to The National.

Usman has not commented publicly, and the UFC has made no statement, Yahoo reported. Islam Makhachev defended Usman on Instagram on Wednesday, writing that the fight "was started by Merab when he allowed himself to slap and cuss out a guest in his homeland," in a translation by Uncrowned.

Police said the fight grew out of earlier disputes and that they "would deal firmly with behaviour that threatens public safety or disrupts public order."

Who is being held

No charges have been announced. Ariel Helwani reported on Thursday morning that everyone involved was still in custody almost 24 hours later, including Dvalishvili and Lazishvili, according to POST Wrestling. Sherdog and Yahoo both say it's unclear whether Usman is among those arrested.

Lazishvili's brother Zviad said both men were still in jail and "were just defending themselves", according to MMA Insight. He said they could be held for 48 hours before a judge decides. That is not an official timeline.

The National understands Dvalishvili is not pressing charges. Gulf News reported, citing a police source, that everyone was called in because the fight was public and filmed.

Saturday's card

Usman wasn't competing. He was there to support his brother Umar, who is booked to wrestle Urijah Faber. Dvalishvili is scheduled to face Marlon Moraes.

Neither Umar nor Dvalishvili came to Thursday's press conference. Bronstein said he didn't yet know whether their matches would go ahead, according to Yahoo Sports. "We're working through the situation right now. Merab is doing well," he said, The National reported. The National suggested Faber could face Moraes if Dvalishvili can't take part.

Dvalishvili has already beaten Moraes once in MMA, by second-round TKO in September 2021, according to our records. Saturday's matches are freestyle wrestling, not MMA.

The history

In December 2024, Dvalishvili scuffled with a fan at UFC 310 and later claimed the man was tied to Umar's team, Cageside Press reported. A month later he beat Umar by five-round decision at UFC 311, handing him his first pro loss. Dvalishvili closed as the underdog at about +215, with Umar at -273.

In July, Dvalishvili's remarks about Umar at the RAF Georgia press conference set off a confrontation with Umar's entourage, MMA Sucka reported. Security and police broke it up. Gulf News says Dvalishvili slapped Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov, an associate of the Nurmagomedov brothers, during a backstage altercation in Georgia earlier this year. Before UFC 333 in October, Dvalishvili said he was "good with Umar now", according to MMA Sucka.

Dvalishvili, 35, has lost twice to Petr Yan, most recently by unanimous decision (48-47 on all three cards) at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24, per Agent MMA. He has no UFC fight booked.

Usman, 28, is unbeaten at 22-0 with one no contest. His last fight was a first-round KO of Archie Colgan on July 31, according to MMA Sucka. The National says the UFC is interested in him and he is expected to sign, though nothing is official.