Dvalishvili Says Friend Fought Both Nurmagomedov Brothers in Abu Dhabi Brawl

Merab Dvalishvili is the former UFC champion who says his 21-year-old friend took on both Nurmagomedov brothers alone. The chaos erupted on November 11, 2026, when Usman Nurmagomedov walked up behind Merab during a Real American Freestyle interview at a Yas Island hotel in Abu Dhabi and slapped him across the face. Merab later said only two of them had travelled to Abu Dhabi, himself and young wrestler Saba Lazishvili, and that Usman’s group came at them from behind. Laughing through a bloodied face, Merab claimed his friend fought both Usman and Umar at the same time, and viral footage appeared to show Lazishvili dropping two people in the melee. That is what a real one looks like. Every fighter needs a friend who does not ask questions when things go wrong, and Lazishvili stood next to Merab with explosive, ferocious energy when it mattered most. Abu Dhabi Police arrested 10 people in connection with the incident, while Ilia Topuria released footage and called the group cowards. The rivalry stretches back to UFC 311 in January 2025, when Merab’s relentless wrestling handed Umar the only loss of his mixed martial arts career, and it reignited when Merab slapped one of Umar’s friends at RAF Georgia in July. Known for setting the record for most takedowns in UFC history and holding the bantamweight title through three defences in 2025, Merab remains scheduled to face Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi on November 14. Whatever happens next, the most dominant moment of the week belongs to the 21-year-old who refused to let his friend stand alone, proving loyalty still matters in combat sports.