Freed Merab Dvalishvili asks Abu Dhabi to release everyone, says he won't press charges

Merab Dvalishvili was released from a UAE detention centre early on Friday, November 13. Later that day he asked Abu Dhabi to free the men jailed over Wednesday's hotel brawl. "I do hope that they release everyone - I would not press charges," the former UFC bantamweight champion wrote on X. SPORTbible quoted the post.

His friend Saba Lazishvili was freed with him. Ariel Helwani reported the release first, according to Uncrowned, and RAF chief executive Chad Bronstein confirmed it. "I'm pleased to share that Merab Dvalishvili is back with us in Abu Dhabi," Bronstein said in a statement quoted by SPORTbible.

In the same post, Dvalishvili said he was "good, healthy and ready to go" and added: "I want peace and the best for all."

What happened

On Wednesday, Usman Nurmagomedov came up behind Dvalishvili during an interview in a hotel lobby and slapped him, The National reported. It happened at the Yas Hilton, RAF's host hotel. The two camps then brawled. Video shows Dvalishvili thrown to the ground, punched and kicked, and Usman kicking Lazishvili in the head, according to The National.

Dvalishvili was treated by medics for at least one head wound, the paper reported. "Usman and his buddies came up from behind and started punching me and my young friend," he wrote alongside a video he posted afterwards.

Police arrested 10 people, Dvalishvili and Lazishvili among them, according to The National. On Friday an Abu Dhabi court convicted all 10, according to a Judicial Department post quoted by Uncrowned. The National set out the sentences:

• Six men: six months in prison, a Dh300,000 fine (about $81,700) and deportation, for "disturbing public security, causing panic and endangering lives".
• Two men who filmed and posted the brawl: the same sentence, for violating privacy.
• Two men: a Dh50,000 fine (about $13,600) each and no jail, for "disturbing public security and assaulting others".

ESPN and CBS Sports name Usman among the six jailed. ESPN names Dvalishvili as one of the two fined; The National says the other is believed to be Lazishvili.

Usman, 28, has held the PFL lightweight title and is a free agent widely expected to join the UFC. No statement from him has been reported. His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, apologised and called the attack unacceptable, TMZ reported. TMZ says Usman is expected out in May, then deported.

Dana White's verdict at a UFC news conference in New York on Thursday, per ESPN: "What a bunch of f---ing idiots."

Does his request change anything?

It isn't clear. This was a criminal case, and the court had sentenced all 10 before Dvalishvili posted. Uncrowned noted it "remains to be seen" whether his call will be heard. No appeal or pardon for Usman had been reported as of Friday evening.

The feud and Saturday

The feud started at UFC 311 on January 18, 2025. Dvalishvili beat Usman's brother Umar by unanimous decision to keep his bantamweight title. He was a +215 underdog that night, with Umar closing at -273, according to our fight page. The camps had a smaller altercation at RAF Georgia in July, where Dvalishvili was seen slapping one of Umar's teammates, TMZ reported.

Dvalishvili, 35, is 21-6 and has lost two in a row, both to Petr Yan. He beat Yan in March 2023, but Yan took his title in December 2025 and won again by decision at UFC 333 on October 24. He closed at +125 for the trilogy fight, at the same Etihad Arena where RAF runs on Saturday.

His match with Marlon Moraes is a catchweight wrestling bout, not MMA, so we have no odds on it. It's a rematch: Dvalishvili stopped Moraes in the second round at UFC 266 in September 2021, when Moraes closed at +210 (our page). Dvalishvili has won two of his three RAF matches, according to Arab News.

Khamzat Chimaev vs. Colby Covington headlines the card. Lazishvili, 21, will make his pro debut against Urijah Faber in place of Umar, RAF announced late Friday, per The National. RAF hasn't said why Umar was pulled.