Merab Dvalishvili has claimed that Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends attacked him from behind during media obligations in Abu Dhabi ahead of RAF Abu Dhabi. Dvalishvili, who is scheduled to wrestle Marlon Moraes on Saturday, showed heavy damage to his nose and left eye, which looked almost shut. It is unclear whether his match will go ahead. He alleged around 20 people were involved against two on his side.
Merab Dvalishvili says he was attacked from behind by Usman Nurmagomedov and a group of associates during media obligations in Abu Dhabi, days before he is due to wrestle at RAF Abu Dhabi, Bloody Elbow reported.
Dvalishvili showed visible damage to his nose and left eye, which appeared almost shut. He alleged that around 20 people were involved against two on his side. Nurmagomedov has not been shown responding in the report, and the claims are Dvalishvili's account. It is unclear whether his match with Marlon Moraes on Saturday will go ahead.
Dvalishvili, 35, is a Georgian bantamweight who holds a 21-6 record and sits at number one in the division and number two in the pound-for-pound rankings. He trains out of Serra-Longo Fight Team and is known for relentless pressure, averaging 5.74 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 4.48 significant strikes landed per minute at 41 percent accuracy. His most recent recorded fight came on October 24, 2026, when he lost a unanimous decision to Petr Yan in a title bout, his second straight defeat to Yan in a championship fight.
Moraes, a 38-year-old Brazilian from American Top Team, is 23-10-1. His most recent recorded fight was a first-round knockout loss to Song Yadong in March 2022. The two have met before: Dvalishvili stopped Moraes by KO/TKO in the second round at UFC 266 on September 25, 2021. Dvalishvili is the more active wrestler by a wide margin, taking opponents down at 5.74 per 15 minutes against 0.87 for Moraes.
Nurmagomedov, a 27-year-old Russian, is unbeaten at 22-0 and ranked 14th pound for pound. He stands five-foot-eleven with a 71-inch reach, three inches taller than Dvalishvili's five-foot-six frame.
Why it matters
- Dvalishvili's availability for Saturday is in doubt, with the extent of his injuries unclear.
- The alleged incident involves two of the sport's highest-ranked fighters, though only one side has been heard.
- Any fallout could shape how the event's security and media arrangements are handled.
The claims remain unverified, and no official statement from the promotion or from Nurmagomedov's camp was included in the report.
