Islam Makhachev has publicly sided with Usman Nurmagomedov following the Abu Dhabi brawl with Merab Dvalishvili. Makhachev questioned why critics stayed silent when Dvalishvili struck a Dagestani wrestler in Georgia and insulted his honor, saying the man had approached to talk without ill intent. He said Dvalishvili started the conflict in his homeland by hitting a guest and insulting his mother.
Islam Makhachev has come out in defense of Usman Nurmagomedov after the Abu Dhabi brawl involving Merab Dvalishvili, questioning why critics said nothing when Dvalishvili earlier struck a Dagestani wrestler in Georgia.
Makhachev argued that Nurmagomedov approached Dvalishvili to talk and had no ill intent. He said Dvalishvili began the conflict in his own homeland by hitting a guest and insulting the man's mother and honor. The comments, published November 11, 2026, put the lightweight-turned-welterweight champion firmly on one side of an ongoing feud between the Dagestani camp and the Georgian bantamweight.
The fighters
Makhachev, 35, is the reigning welterweight champion with a 29-1 record. The Russian from Eagles MMA most recently beat Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision in a five-round title fight at UFC 330 on August 15, 2026. That followed a unanimous decision over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 in November 2025 and a first-round submission of Renato Moicano at UFC 311 in January 2025. He lands 2.27 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy and averages 3.22 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Dvalishvili, also 35, is the number one bantamweight contender, ranked second pound-for-pound, and fights out of the Serra-Longo Fight Team. He is 21-6, but his most recent recorded fight was a unanimous decision loss to Petr Yan in a title fight at UFC 333 on October 24, 2026. It was his second straight loss to Yan, following the UFC 323 rematch in December 2025. Dvalishvili's wrestling volume is exceptional: 5.74 takedowns per 15 minutes, against 4.48 significant strikes landed per minute at 41 percent accuracy.
Nurmagomedov, 27, is unbeaten at 22-0 and ranked 14th pound-for-pound. The Russian stands five-foot-eleven with a 71-inch reach. He lands 0.33 significant strikes per minute at 52.78 percent accuracy and averages 0.65 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Makhachev's statement escalates a dispute that now involves a reigning champion, a top-ranked contender and an unbeaten fighter.
- Dvalishvili is coming off back-to-back title-fight losses, so the off-cage conflict arrives at a turning point in his career.
- Makhachev and Dvalishvili are both 35, while Nurmagomedov is eight years younger, a gap that may matter if the rivalry ever moves into the cage.
