Usman Nurmagomedov Faces Backlash After Alleged Attack On Merab Dvalishvili In Abu Dhabi

Usman-Merab chaos gets even messier as UFC stars break silence.© NDTV Photo Library

Usman Nurmagomedov is facing widespread criticism. After video footage appeared to show him and several associates attacking Merab Dvalishvili during a hotel-lobby interview in Abu Dhabi. Dvalishvili is scheduled to wrestle Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi on Saturday. He said he and his friend Saba Lazishvili were attacked from behind while promoting the event. Footage initially shared by Ilia Topuria shows Nurmagomedov approaching Dvalishvili before appearing to strike him in the face. A multi-person brawl then breaks out, with security attempting to separate the groups.

Merab details alleged hotel lobby assault

Merab Dvalishvili later posted a video while receiving treatment, with blood visible around his face and his left eye badly swollen.

Nurmagomedov and his friends, Dvalishvili claimed, came up from behind and punched him and Lazishvili, a 21-year-old Georgian wrestler.

“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,” Dvalishvili wrote. “Security was holding me. They kept kicking us when we were down like losers."

Despite the injuries, Dvalishvili said he was fine. He accused the group of acting like “cowards” and challenged them to face him one-on-one rather than ambush him.

Topuria calls Nurmagomedov's group “cowards”

Ilia Topuria shared the 37-second clip and called Nurmagomedov's group “a bunch of cowards.” “They will be held accountable for their actions,” he said before deleting the initial post and issuing a longer statement.

Topuria also claimed Nurmagomedov had been detained.

Journalist Ariel Helwani reported that everyone involved, including Dvalishvili and Lazishvili, was taken to a police station for questioning because the incident occurred in public and was captured on camera.

Dvalishvili is not pressing charges, according to Helwani. Neither Abu Dhabi Police nor RAF organisers had issued an official statement confirming the police involvement at the time of writing.

Usman-Merab fallout sparks fury across the MMA community

Paulo Costa was among the first fighters to react, backing Dvalishvili and criticising the group involved. “Merab got jumped by a whole crew,” Costa wrote on X. “That's not fighting; that's just cowardice.”

Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping also condemned the incident, calling it “embarrassing” and questioning why so many people were needed to confront two men during a media appearance.

Several fans argued that a one-on-one confrontation would have been more honourable. Others criticised the entourage for turning a promotional appearance into a street brawl.

The reaction has put pressure on the RAF to clarify whether the incident will affect Saturday's card. Dvalishvili vs. Moraes is still scheduled for November 14, but his availability remains uncertain after the alleged attack.