A brawl broke out in Abu Dhabi between Usman Nurmagomedov's group and Merab Dvalishvili's group, with video showing four fighters against two. On one side were Usman Nurmagomedov, Tagir Ulanbekov, Amru Magomedov and an unidentified friend in a blue cap; on the other were Merab Dvalishvili and 21-year-old wrestler Saba Lazashvili. Dvalishvili says Umar Nurmagomedov also attacked them, though Umar does not appear in the available footage. Those involved were taken to a police station, where statements are being taken. Several Dagestani fighters shared the video framing it as payback for an earlier incident in Tbilisi in which Dvalishvili struck Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov, a cornerman for Abdulrashid Sadulaev.
A brawl involving fighters from the Dagestani and Georgian camps broke out in Abu Dhabi, and those involved were taken to a police station, where statements are being taken. Video of the incident shows four fighters against two.
On one side were Usman Nurmagomedov, Tagir Ulanbekov, Amru Magomedov and an unidentified friend in a blue cap. On the other were bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili and 21-year-old wrestler Saba Lazashvili. Dvalishvili says Umar Nurmagomedov also attacked them, though Umar does not appear in the available footage. Several Dagestani fighters shared the video, framing it as payback for an earlier incident in Tbilisi in which Dvalishvili struck Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov, a cornerman for Abdulrashid Sadulaev.
Dvalishvili, 35, is ranked first at bantamweight and second in the pound-for-pound rankings, with a 21-6 record. The Georgian fights out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team and averages 5.74 takedowns per 15 minutes. He lost a unanimous decision to Petr Yan in a title fight on October 24, his second straight five-round defeat to Yan after a December 2025 loss in their rematch.
Umar Nurmagomedov, 30, is the fourth-ranked bantamweight with a 20-2 record and trains with Eagles MMA. He is coming off a second-round knockout loss to Song Yadong on August 29. He and Dvalishvili have history: Dvalishvili beat him by unanimous decision over five rounds at UFC 311 in January 2025.
Tagir Ulanbekov, 35, is a Russian flyweight ranked 15th with a 17-3 record, also from Eagles MMA. His most recent recorded fight was a third-round submission loss to Kyoji Horiguchi in November 2025. He is known for grappling, averaging 1.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- The incident ties directly to the earlier Tbilisi confrontation involving a member of Sadulaev's corner, suggesting an escalating feud between the camps.
- Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov already share a competitive history, with the Georgian holding a decision win over his Dagestani rival.
- Both bantamweights have lost recently, Dvalishvili in a title fight and Umar by knockout, and both are ranked in the division's top four.
Police are still taking statements, and the accounts of what happened, including Dvalishvili's claim about Umar's involvement, are disputed.
