Dvalishvili and Sadulaev Urge Abu Dhabi to Free Jailed Nurmagomedov

Two prominent fighters have now asked the authorities in Abu Dhabi to free the men jailed over a hotel brawl, including the man who started it. Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, who was on the receiving end of the attack, made the plea on Nov. 14 after winning his match at Real American Freestyle (RAF) Abu Dhabi, The Sunday Guardian and EssentiallySports reported.

Olympic wrestling champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev of Dagestan made a similar appeal the same evening, according to Caucasian Knot, which cited Match TV.

What Dvalishvili said

Speaking right after he beat Marlon Moraes at Etihad Arena, Dvalishvili asked the Abu Dhabi government, or anyone able to act, to let the jailed men out. “We are just fighters,” he said, according to The Sunday Guardian, adding that he wanted them released. The 35-year-old Georgian pinned Moraes 1 minute and 30 seconds into the opening period, EssentiallySports reported.

The plea stood out because of the long rivalry between Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov camp. The Sunday Guardian noted that he had earlier said he was willing not to press charges against those involved. His teammate Saba Lazishvili, 21, also won on the card, defeating UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber 12-7 after stepping in for Umar Nurmagomedov.

What Sadulaev said

Sadulaev, a two-time Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling, spoke after beating Greece's Dauren Kurugliev at the same event. According to Caucasian Knot, he thanked Abu Dhabi's leadership for its welcome and asked for the release of the men in prison. He said he believed they had “learned their lesson” and would settle disputes on the mat in the future. He also said that once they are out, he and others would work to get the two sides to shake hands.

How the case got here

The fight broke out on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at a hotel in Abu Dhabi, when Usman Nurmagomedov, a Russian fighter, slapped Dvalishvili during an encounter, according to Caucasian Knot. A wider melee followed, with Lazishvili on Dvalishvili's side. Video of the incident spread quickly online.

Police arrested 10 people. On Nov. 13, the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court handed down its verdicts, EssentiallySports reported. Usman Nurmagomedov was among six people sentenced to six months in prison, a fine of 300,000 UAE dirhams each and deportation after their sentences are served. Two more defendants received the same prison term for filming and publishing the footage. Dvalishvili and Lazishvili were each fined 50,000 dirhams and released.

Is Umar Nurmagomedov among those held?

Reports differ. Caucasian Knot cited TASS, which in turn cited an unnamed source, as saying Usman's brother Umar was among the detained. EssentiallySports said his removal from the RAF card should not be taken as confirmation that he was sentenced, because the court reporting it had seen did not identify him as a defendant.

What it means for the fighters involved

For the athletes, the case shows how far a fight outside the ring can reach: prison terms, heavy fines and later deportation, plus a lost place on a major card. The sentences have already been handed down, and EssentiallySports reported that the men remain in prison. Whether the authorities will consider the appeals has not been announced.

The calls from a victim of the attack and from a respected wrestler also point to a possible way to calm a feud that has run for years. The report said Dvalishvili appears more interested in putting the incident behind him than in prolonging the dispute, and Sadulaev said the aim would be to have the two sides shake hands once the men are free.

Earlier on Around Prague: Abu Dhabi Court Jails Usman Nurmagomedov for Six Months After Hotel Brawl

Around Prague, based on reporting by The Sunday Guardian, Caucasian Knot, EssentiallySports

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