Merab Dvalishvili Says He's Fine and Stays on Saturday's Card as Police Reportedly Question Those in the Abu Dhabi Lobby Brawl

A day after a hotel lobby in Abu Dhabi turned into a brawl, the man who was left bleeding sounds like the calmest person in the story.

Merab Dvalishvili told fans he was fine after Wednesday's confrontation with Usman Nurmagomedov and a group of men, according to Bleacher Report, and as of Thursday morning the former UFC bantamweight champion was still set to face Marlon Moraes on Saturday night at Etihad Arena. Meanwhile, The National reported that Nurmagomedov and his associates were reportedly detained and questioned by police on Wednesday, a claim the paper said it was still working to verify.

The National placed the incident in the lobby of the Yas Hilton, where Dvalishvili was giving an interview ahead of Real American Freestyle's first card in the Middle East. The paper said it understands Dvalishvili is not the one pressing charges, and that police were alerted because the incident happened in public and was caught on camera.

Journalist Ariel Helwani posted on X that everyone involved was still being held by local authorities, according to The National's account of his post. Ilia Topuria, who first shared video of the confrontation, wrote that Nurmagomedov had reportedly been detained. IBTimes UK stressed that the detention reports had not been independently verified. No police, government or court statement confirming an arrest or charges appeared in any of the coverage as of early Thursday.

None of the reports included a response from Nurmagomedov or his representatives.

In video and posts shared after the incident, Dvalishvili said Nurmagomedov and his friends came up from behind and started punching him and a young friend, and that security was holding him back while the group kept kicking them. "What kind of man does this?" he asked in one video, as quoted by NY Fights. IBTimes UK reported that Dvalishvili claimed about 20 men were involved and that Usman's brother, Umar Nurmagomedov, took part.

His friend Saba Lazishvili can be seen in the footage taking down two members of the group, according to NY Fights. The video has been widely shared online.

The reaction across mixed martial arts was swift and nearly one-sided. NY Fights, in a report carried by Yahoo Sports, described widespread condemnation, with critics calling it a cheap shot and faulting the group nature of the attack.

Sean Strickland, the former UFC middleweight champion, went the furthest. Forbes reported that Strickland, in comments on Dvalishvili's Instagram post, called for a "lifetime ban for everyone involved". Forbes columnist Brian Mazique argued that the UFC should start holding fighters accountable for what they do outside the Octagon.

Topuria put it in terms any coach or parent would recognize. "Honor, respect, and humility aren't words you preach," he wrote, as quoted by The National.

A representative for RAF told The National that officials would address the incident at Thursday's pre-match press conference. Dvalishvili's catchweight "Crossover" match with Moraes was still on the card in the latest reports, though IBTimes UK noted his participation had been in question because of his facial injuries. Umar Nurmagomedov is slated to face Urijah Faber on the same card. Usman is not booked and was in town to support his brother, according to The National.

The bad blood goes back to January 2025, when Dvalishvili beat Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 to keep his bantamweight title. When Dvalishvili was added to the Abu Dhabi card earlier this month, he told The National he was excited to return to the city, where RAF is staging its first Middle East event.

The incident could also follow Usman Nurmagomedov into his next contract talks. The National reported that the unbeaten PFL lightweight champion, who knocked out Archie Colgan in the first round in July, became a free agent when his exclusive negotiating window with the PFL expired Oct. 29, and that he is expected to sign with the UFC. Dana White told the paper in October that the UFC was interested. Forbes, however, reported that Nurmagomedov's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, said on Nov. 11 that his client remains in an exclusive negotiating period with the PFL.

Combat sports run on a simple code. You settle it in the cage, the ring or on the mat, under rules, with a referee and in front of everyone. Walking up behind a man during an interview breaks that code, and the near-unanimous reaction from fighters shows they know it.

Dvalishvili's answer has been the old-school one: he says he is fine, and he is staying on the card. That is how a man earns respect in this sport. Now it is up to the promoters, and possibly the authorities in Abu Dhabi, to decide what accountability looks like. RAF's press conference on Thursday is the first place to watch for answers.