Usman reportedly detained after Merab clash

Merab Dvalishvili and several men from the circle of brothers Usman and Umar Nurmagomedov were involved in an altercation at an Abu Dhabi hotel on Wednesday, November 11. Videos show a strike followed by a brawl. Dvalishvili accused both brothers of taking part in an attack on him and a companion.

Russian news agency TASS, citing an unnamed source, reports that Usman Nurmagomedov and other people involved were detained to establish the circumstances and question them. No official confirmation of further action has emerged.

What the footage shows

Dvalishvili was on camera for a Real American Freestyle (RAF) recording when several men approached him from behind in the lobby. A man wearing a black cap addressed him and struck him. After a cut, the video shows a melee involving more people. A second angle captures the commotion elsewhere in the lobby. The clips alone do not conclusively identify everyone involved or establish the full sequence.

Dvalishvili later showed a bleeding facial injury in his own video. He said Usman, Umar and their associates had attacked him and his friend from behind. That broader account is his allegation; the brief recordings do not independently verify every detail.

Screenshot: Merab Dvalishvili / Instagram

A rivalry with history

Dvalishvili beat Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision at UFC 311 in January 2025, defending his bantamweight title. In July 2026, a verbal exchange at RAF Georgia led to another physical confrontation with an associate of Umar's. Relations were already strained before the incident in Abu Dhabi. The immediate trigger for this encounter has not been established.

Both sides are in town for RAF Abu Dhabi. Dvalishvili is scheduled to face Marlon Moraes on Saturday, November 14, while Umar is set to meet Urijah Faber. Usman, Umar's younger brother and a cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, is not on the announced card.

What happens next?

For RAF, the immediate question is whether Dvalishvili will still face Moraes on Saturday after suffering a facial injury. Usman is not booked for the event. His potential move to the UFC is a separate unresolved matter: UFC chief Dana White has expressed interest once the PFL lightweight champion is available to talk. On November 11, Usman's manager Ali Abdelaziz disputed reports that his client had already signed with another promotion. No UFC deal has been confirmed, and it is too early to know whether this incident will affect any future negotiations.

Beyond the possible impact on the upcoming matches and Usman's career, the incident also has a legal dimension: Even less serious assaults can carry up to one year in prison and a fine under UAE law. What consequences the clash involving Merab and the Nurmagomedov camp will have remains to be seen.