Shocking footage has emerged showing PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov and his entourage attacking Merab Dvalishvili in the lobby of an Abu Dhabi hotel.
Dvalishvili, who is the former UFC bantamweight champion, posted a video of his battered face online after the incident, with a lengthy caption about what occurred.
"Was doing an interview for RAF in hotel lobby and Usman and his buddies came up from behind and started punching me and my young friend. Security was holding me - They kept kicking us when we were down like losers," said Dvalishvili on X.
Tensions between the two camps date back to Nurmagomedov's brother, Umar, losing to Dvalishvili at UFC 311 in a bantamweight title fight.
The feud between Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedovs flared up again earlier this year after Dvalishvili slapped an associate of Umar at an RAF event in Georgia.
Current UFC welterweight champion and lifelong friend of the Nurmagomedov brothers, Islam Makhachev, has publicly defended Usman and placed the blame on Dvalishvili.
🚨 Full footage of the scuffle between Usman Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili pic.twitter.com/SGJzkQdFif
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 11, 2026
As reported by MMA Fighting, Makhachev addressed the incident with the following statement:
"To those who are now condemning Usman and the guys,[and] they are writing insults to them, why were you silent when Merab hit a Dagestani wrestler for nothing and hurt his honour? The man approached him to talk without malice. Merab started what happened today in his homeland by allowing himself to hit a guest and insulting his mother," said Makhachev.
Ilia Topuria, who posted footage of the incident on X, also added his thoughts on the shocking events.
"You're a bunch of cowards, and you'll be held accountable for what you've done. You're anything but real men," Topuria said.
Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov are scheduled to compete at a Real American Freestyle wrestling event this weekend in Abu Dhabi.
Dvalishvili is set to face Marlon Moraes, while Nurmagomedov will face former UFC Champion Urijah Faber. Dvalishvili has stated he is fine and still intends to compete.
