Merab Dvalishvili says Usman Nurmagomedov and friends attacked him in Abu Dhabi
Merab Dvalishvili says Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends attacked him from behind in a hotel lobby in Abu Dhabi. The Georgian fighter, a former UFC bantamweight champion, posted a video on Instagram showing a bloodied face and described the episode as a surprise attack.
According to Dvalishvili, the attack happened on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, while he was giving an interview to RAF in the hotel lobby. In the post, he wrote: “Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends came like snakes from behind!”
Usman Nurmagomedov is accused of attacking Dvalishvili from behind
Dvalishvili says that Usman Nurmagomedov and other men came up behind him and began punching him and a young friend who was with him. In his account, the security staff held him while the attackers kept hitting them. “Security was holding me. They kept kicking us when we were down like losers,” he wrote.
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Usman Nurmagomedov is a former PFL lightweight champion and, according to the specialized press, is currently a free agent. He has not made any public statement about the accusation. Umar Nurmagomedov, also cited by Dvalishvili as involved, has not commented either.
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Two men against a larger group, according to Dvalishvili
- Dvalishvili and a young friend: 2 people, according to the fighter
- Attackers: Dvalishvili says there were “so many guys”
- Size of the group: one report cited about 20 people, with no independent confirmation
- Injuries: Dvalishvili said he did not suffer a serious injury
The number of attackers is not settled. Dvalishvili describes a larger group against him and his friend, and says the two of them were outnumbered. A report that cited about 20 people has no independent source behind it, so the figure is only a claim. The fighter has not released any evidence beyond the video and the post, and no one else has confirmed the account of the lobby incident.
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Nurmagomedov side has not responded to the accusation
Until the close of this report, neither Usman Nurmagomedov nor Umar Nurmagomedov had made a public statement about the accusation. The information so far comes only from the statement made by Dvalishvili.
It is also not known whether the incident was reported to police or whether hotel security responded to it. The exact time of the alleged attack was not informed in the sources available.
Dvalishvili’s title history in Abu Dhabi
Dvalishvili has fought in Abu Dhabi before with a title on the line. In January 2025, at UFC 311, he beat Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision and kept the bantamweight belt. In October 2026, at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, he lost the title to Petr Yan. The new fight in the emirate, against Marlon Moraes, comes weeks after that defeat.
Dvalishvili vs Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi
Dvalishvili says he has not suffered a serious injury and remains confirmed to face Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi. The fight is scheduled for the weekend, and the sources do not say the broadcast schedule or channel.
- Fight: Merab Dvalishvili vs Marlon Moraes
- Event: RAF Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Date: Saturday (14)
- Start time and broadcast channel: not confirmed
The next step is the fight itself on Saturday. Until then, the accusation remains Dvalishvili’s account, and it is not known whether the Nurmagomedov side or the event organizers will respond before the card.
