Russian mixed martial arts fighter Usman Nurmagomedov has reportedly been detained by local authorities in Abu Dhabi following a confrontation involving former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili.
The incident took place on Wednesday in the lobby of a hotel in the United Arab Emirates, where Dvalishvili was conducting an interview ahead of a Real American Freestyle (RAF) wrestling event.
Dvalishvili accused Nurmagomedov and members of his group of attacking him and a friend from behind. He later shared footage showing his bloodied face and said they had been assaulted while security staff were holding them down.
Russia’s state news agency TASS, citing a source, reported that Nurmagomedov and others involved in the incident had been detained and taken for questioning to establish what happened.
However, Abu Dhabi police have not issued an official statement confirming the detentions, and no details of any charges or legal proceedings have been made public.
Former UFC champion Ilia Topuria also shared footage of the confrontation on social media and said Nurmagomedov had reportedly been detained along with others involved.
The incident comes amid an ongoing rivalry between Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov camp, which dates back to Dvalishvili’s victory over Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January 2025.
