It was around 20 men against two Georgian fighters — and the clash between former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili and reigning PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov ahead of the prestigious Real American Freestyle (RAF) event in Abu Dhabi has sent shockwaves through the combat sports world. The 35-year-old Dvalishvili was filming a promotional interview for RAF in the hotel lobby when Usman Nurmagomedov, his brother Umar Nurmagomedov and their Dagestani entourage ambushed him from behind. The 37-second footage now circulating clearly shows Usman, in a black T-shirt, walking up to the Georgian, catching his attention and striking him in the face, sparking a mass brawl in the lobby. In the chaos, Saba Lazishvili, a 21-year-old Georgian wrestler and the younger brother of former UFC fighter Zviad Lazishvili, rushed to defend his friend and sent two members of Nurmagomedov's group crashing to the floor with throws. Yet the sheer imbalance in numbers took its toll: while hotel security tried to hold Dvalishvili back, the attackers kept kicking the two Georgians as they lay on the floor.
Dvalishvili and Lazishvili were both left with heavy bruising and multiple facial injuries. In a video posted on TikTok as he received medical treatment, a bloodied Dvalishvili accused his attackers of treachery. "We bleed, we fight, we war, but you guys are just sneaky guys," he said. Stressing that such conduct went against everything an athlete should stand for, he added: "Was doing an interview for RAF in 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." Branding the Dagestani group's behaviour unmanly, the Georgian went further: "Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends came like snakes from behind! What kind of fighters are you guys?! What kind of man does this?! If you want to fight, let's do like real way, bro! You guys came just because there's two of us, and you guys were prepared, bro! That shows your character, shows you're not real men!"
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The footage, shared on X by former two-division UFC champion Ilia Topuria, sparked fierce outrage across the international MMA community. "You're a bunch of cowards, and you'll be held accountable for what you've done. You're anything but real men," Topuria, a close friend of Dvalishvili, wrote in a scathing post aimed at the attackers. He later doubled down with a second statement: "Usman has reportedly been detained, along with the cowards who were with him. And these are the same people who dare to preach about humility and respect? What a disgrace. A bunch of absolute cowards. I always thought you were a bunch of mediocre individuals. Now you've removed every last doubt. Honor, respect, and humility aren't words you preach. They're values you live by. And you've shown none of them."
While fellow professionals condemned the group attack and Usman Nurmagomedov's blindside blow, UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev offered a very different take. In an Instagram post, he defended his teammate and claimed the conflict began back in July at RAF Georgia in Tbilisi, where Dvalishvili slapped Dagestani wrestler Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov. According to Makhachev, Usman had only approached Dvalishvili to talk. "Those who are judging Usman and the guys and insulting them right now, why were you silent when Merab slapped the Dagestani fighter and insulted his honor?" he asked. He went on: "That man approached him with no ill intent, just to talk. Whatever happened today, was started by Merab when he allowed himself to slap and cuss out a guest in his homeland."
The feud between Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov dates back to their UFC 311 title fight in January 2025, when the Georgian retained his belt with a unanimous decision victory. Abu Dhabi police detained Usman Nurmagomedov and those involved in the attack for questioning, and the timing could hardly be worse for the 28-year-old unbeaten fighter. Having become MMA's most sought-after free agent since his PFL contract expired, Usman now faces serious doubts over a move to the UFC and the multi-million-dollar deal that would come with it.
