Merab Dvalishvili handed Umar Nurmagomedov his first professional defeat, but their rivalry did not end with the judges’ decision. A subsequent clash with Umar’s associate at RAF Georgia showed that the dispute was no longer confined to the two fighters.

On November 11, Dvalishvili was in Abu Dhabi ahead of Real American Freestyle’s November 14 event at Etihad Arena, where he was scheduled to wrestle Marlon Moraes. He was giving an interview for the promotion when a confrontation involving Usman Nurmagomedov and several associates broke out.

Footage of the incident shows Usman approaching Dvalishvili and saying, “I have a question for you,” in Russian before slapping him, sparking a group brawl. Merab and his friend, later identified as Georgian fighter Saba Lazishvili, fought back as several other men joined the altercation, with both left bloodied afterward.

Ilia Topuria shared footage of the confrontation before deleting his upload, while clips also circulated through MMA accounts, including Championship Rounds and Red Corner MMA. The videos showed the confrontation unfolding during Dvalishvili’s interview, which he later described as an attack from behind.

Merab Dvalishvili posted a video while getting his treatment and captioned it, “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.”

He explained what just unfolded to his followers by saying, “What a sneaky way, guys. Just two of us, me and my friend, came here in Abu Dhabi, and Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends came like snakes from behind. What kind of fighters you guys are? What kind of man does this, bro? If you want to fight, let’s do it the real way.

“We bleed, we fight, we war, but you guys are just sneaky guys. You’re not real men. If you want to fight, fight. Let’s fucking fight. We are fighters, bro. I’m a real guy, I talk straight, but you guys came from behind. I just came here in Abu Dhabi and then Usman, Umar, and his friends came in a sneaky way and tried to beat us. So many guys.”

Dvalishvili claimed the group numbered around 20 men, emphasizing that he and his friend had been heavily outnumbered. That figure remains his estimate, rather than an independently verified count of those involved in the confrontation.

Despite his visible injuries, Dvalishvili reassured followers about his condition. “I’m fine,” he said, describing the incident as “nothing for me” and emphasizing that he was a fighter.

The hotel confrontation followed an earlier clash between Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov’s associate, Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov, at RAF Georgia. Dvalishvili slapped Gadzhimagomedov during that encounter, which escalated into a brawl.

Explaining his actions afterward, Dvalishvili claimed Gadzhimagomedov had grabbed his neck, pulled him closer, and confronted him in Russian about Umar. He described the slap as a response to that provocation, maintaining that his dispute was with Umar rather than Gadzhimagomedov. That account represents Dvalishvili’s version of how the earlier confrontation began.

The broader rivalry dates back to UFC 311 on January 18, 2025, when Dvalishvili handed Umar Nurmagomedov his first professional defeat. The hotel altercation has brought Usman Nurmagomedov into the spotlight in a feud previously centered on Merab Dvalishvili and Usman’s brother, Umar.

The altercation involved Dvalishvili, his friend, Usman Nurmagomedov, and several associates, with him also alleging that Umar participated. While the motive behind the altercation remains unclear, it comes amid Dvalishvili’s long-running rivalry with Nurmagomedov.

Sean Strickland also criticized Usman in a post on X, accusing him and his associates of attacking Dvalishvili when he was not looking.

“Usman Nurmagomedov is the definition of a bitch…These guys all run around pretending to be hard, but they all act like fucking dogs waiting to attack you when you’re not looking…Is this a muslim behavior, or is he just a b***h?”

Topuria also condemned the group and shared a claim about the aftermath. “Usman has reportedly been detained, along with the cowards who were with him,” he wrote, while criticizing their professed values of honor, humility and respect.

The detention claim remained unverified in the initial coverage. Bloody Elbow noted that the source and accuracy of Topuria’s information were unclear, while Uncrowned reported that it could not independently confirm the alleged detentions. Neither report established whether Usman or anyone else involved had been formally arrested or charged.

Cormier had previously defended Usman over a separate incident at UFC Shanghai in August, when he entered the Octagon after Song Yadong stopped his brother, Umar. Addressing suggestions that Usman had attacked Song, Cormier said he was trying to reach his brother, although he acknowledged that entering the cage was not permitted.

Those comments concerned the Shanghai incident, not the November 11 confrontation with Dvalishvili. They should not be interpreted as Cormier defending Usman’s actions in the Abu Dhabi hotel lobby.

“He did not slap him. He did attack Merab Dvalishvili. What he did was try to get his brother. That in itself is not allowed. We are not allowed to do that.”

Topuria also condemned the group and shared a claim about the aftermath. “Usman has reportedly been detained, along with the cowards who were with him,” he wrote, while criticizing their professed values of honor, humility and respect.

The confrontation also raised questions about Dvalishvili’s scheduled wrestling match against Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi on November 14. The bout remained on the schedule in the initial reporting, with no confirmed withdrawal. Although Dvalishvili reassured followers that he was fine, that statement did not amount to confirmation of medical clearance. For now, both his participation in the event and the reported detention remain unresolved.