Abu Dhabi Court Jails Usman Nurmagomedov for Six Months After Hotel Brawl

An Abu Dhabi court has sentenced eight people to six months in prison over a mass brawl at a hotel involving the mixed martial artists Usman Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili, according to Al Jazeera, citing the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. Six of the eight, including Nurmagomedov, were also fined and ordered to be deported once their sentences end.

Dvalishvili, a former UFC bantamweight champion, was fined and released. He said afterward that he would not press charges.

How the dispute reached an Abu Dhabi courtroom

January 2025: Dvalishvili beat Nurmagomedov's older brother Umar by unanimous decision at UFC 311 to keep his bantamweight title, and tensions between the two camps grew, MARCA reported.
July: The two sides had a smaller altercation at a Real American Freestyle (RAF) wrestling event in Georgia, according to Al Jazeera and MARCA.
Nov. 11: The brawl began in the lobby of the Yas Hilton hotel while Dvalishvili was giving an interview ahead of an RAF event. Videos shared online appear to show Usman Nurmagomedov, the PFL lightweight champion, approaching from behind and slapping him, which set off the fight. Ten people were detained.
Nov. 13: The court announced its verdicts. It convicted 10 people in total.

What the court decided

Six members of Nurmagomedov's team received six months in prison, a fine of 300,000 dirhams (approximately $81,600) each and deportation after serving their time, ESPN reported. Two other people also received six months for privacy violations after filming the brawl and posting the footage online. The court ordered their phones confiscated and the videos deleted.

Dvalishvili and his friend Saba Lazishvili were each fined 50,000 dirhams ($13,600), The National reported, for disturbing public security and assaulting others. Both were released after more than a day in custody. MARCA reported that the pair fought back despite being outnumbered.

Reactions from the MMA world

Dvalishvili said on social media that he was healthy and ready to compete, and he voiced hope that everyone detained would be released as well. He said he had filed no complaint against anyone.

Nurmagomedov's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, publicly apologized and described his fighter's involvement as unacceptable, MARCA reported. UFC CEO Dana White, speaking at a news conference in New York, harshly criticized those involved and said Abu Dhabi is not a place where fighters should ignore local laws.

Why it matters for fighters and for anyone abroad

The case shows how seriously Abu Dhabi courts treated a hotel fight and its recording: both the brawl itself and the publishing of footage led to prison terms. For visitors, the outcome is a reminder that filming others and posting it online can carry its own penalties under the UAE's privacy laws, as it did for the two people sentenced for it.

For Nurmagomedov, the ruling comes at a delicate moment. MARCA reported that he had just finished his exclusive contract with the Professional Fighters League and was drawing speculation about a move to the UFC. His return to competition is now uncertain.

What happens next

Dvalishvili is still expected to wrestle former UFC champion Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi on Saturday, according to RAF cofounder Chad Bronstein, who thanked Abu Dhabi authorities for their professionalism. Event organizers removed Umar Nurmagomedov from the card, which had him facing Urijah Faber. Al Jazeera reported that Lazishvili replaced him.

Around Prague, based on reporting by İdman.Biz, MARCA, Al Jazeera

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