Sean Strickland didn’t hold back on Usman Nurmagomedov 😳 Merab says Usman and his crew came up behind him during an RAF interview in an Abu Dhabi hotel lobby, and the footage is now everywhere. The UFC middleweight champ saw it and called Usman out for attacking when people aren’t looking. The Nurmagomedov camp hasn’t responded yet, and Merab is still set to wrestle Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi this weekend. Does this hurt Usman’s chances of getting signed by the UFC? 🎥 @RedCorner_MMA on X #seanstrickland #merabdvalishvili #usmannurmagomedov #mma
Merab Dvalishvili says Usman Nurmagomedov and his crew ambushed him from behind in an Abu Dhabi hotel lobby while he was giving an RAF interview. Footage of the incident is now circulating widely, and UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has weighed in, criticizing Nurmagomedov for attacking when people aren't looking, as first reported by RedCorner MMA on X.
The Nurmagomedov camp has not responded. Dvalishvili remains scheduled to wrestle Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi this weekend.
Dvalishvili, 35, is a Georgian bantamweight with a 21-6 record. He is ranked number one in his division and second in the pound-for-pound ratings. His most recent recorded fight was a unanimous-decision loss to Petr Yan in a title bout at UFC 333 on October 24, 2026. It was the second straight five-round decision loss to Yan, following a loss at UFC 323 in December 2025. His calling card is wrestling: he averages 5.74 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Nurmagomedov, 27, is a Russian fighter with an unbeaten 22-0 record and a 14th-place pound-for-pound ranking. He stands five-foot-eleven with a 71-inch reach, three inches taller than Dvalishvili, who is five-foot-six with a 68-inch reach.
Strickland, 35, is the UFC middleweight champion and carries a 31-7 record. He won the belt in a split decision over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 on May 9, 2026, after a third-round knockout of Anthony Hernandez in February. Training out of Xtreme Couture, he lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- The incident adds a public flashpoint around Nurmagomedov, whose name has been linked in the story to a possible UFC signing.
- Dvalishvili's focus this weekend is a wrestling match against Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi, and the controversy now surrounds that appearance.
- Strickland's comments have pushed the story beyond the bantamweight and lightweight circles into wider MMA discussion.
