A backroom ambush has exploded into an international legal mess. Ten men sit in detention. And one of mixed martial arts' most powerful managers is pleading for forgiveness.
Ali Abdelaziz publicly apologised to the people and rulers of Abu Dhabi on Thursday, November 12, scrambling to contain the fallout from a violent hotel clash involving Usman Nurmagomedov's entourage and former UFC bantamweight king Merab Dvalishvili. The brawl shattered the calm ahead of the Real American Freestyle wrestling event. It also triggered swift, unsparing retribution from local law enforcement.
Abu Dhabi Police moved fast. Officers arrested 10 people in direct connection with the melee. Eight were detained for physical involvement in the brawl, while two others were hauled in for filming the violence on mobile devices. Authorities immediately referred all 10 to Public Prosecution. Officials have not made the identities of those detained public.
The ambush erupted on Wednesday, November 11. Dvalishvili was seated for a media interview inside an Abu Dhabi hotel. Video footage showed Usman Nurmagomedov creeping up from behind and striking the Georgian fighter across the face.
Chaos followed instantly.
Nurmagomedov's crew swarmed. Dvalishvili and a lone companion threw hands to fend off the rush of bodies. The Georgian fighter later published footage showing blood dripping down his face.
| Incident Detail | Official Specification |
|---|---|
| Date of Altercation | Wednesday, November 11 |
| Host Location | Hotel in Abu Dhabi, UAE |
| Primary Instigator | Usman Nurmagomedov |
| Opposing Fighter | Merab Dvalishvili (Ex-UFC Bantamweight Champion) |
| Total Arrests Confirmed | 10 individuals |
| Detained for Fighting | 8 individuals |
| Detained for Filming | 2 individuals |
| Legal Jurisdiction | Referred to Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution |
Abdelaziz looked shaken as he broke his silence on Thursday. He offered zero excuses. He refused to point fingers at Dvalishvili's past verbal sparring with the Dagestani stable, admitting his camp crossed every line of professional decency.
I'm truly sorry. It's embarrassing what happened. I hope these young men will get a good lesson. This is something that should not happen again. All of our guys have to set a good example. I haven't slept for a couple days, trying to make it better. I don't think there's any words I can say to make this better. To the people of Abu Dhabi, to the leadership, this is something that will never happen again. We should do better as Muslims, as human beings, as athletes. What happened was something unacceptable and should never happen again.
The manager noted that Dvalishvili had trained at Khabib Nurmagomedov's gym just weeks earlier without incident.
"Two wrongs doesn't make a right," Abdelaziz said. "I'm not going to sit here and say he did that or he didn't do that. These guys are young, and there's no words I can describe to say he was wrong. I think both parties were wrong... Merab was there a couple weeks ago. He was fine and trained at Khabib's gym. I think we have to do better as humans. We have to learn from this mistake."
UFC president Dana White unloaded on the instigators during a Thursday press briefing, blistering the fighters for jeopardising their freedom in a country known for strict rule of law.
White called those involved "a bunch of fing idiots" and dismissed the brawl as "absolutely ridiculous and stupid." He issued a stark reminder about getting into street scuffles on Gulf soil, warning that the emirate is "not a place to go f around."
The consequences now cast a long shadow over the wider Dagestani contingent. Usman Nurmagomedov is recognized across the sport as an elite, world-class talent, but his inner circle must now navigate criminal prosecution in an overseas court.
"About Usman's career: The guy is one of the best fighters in the world. Of course this is going to affect everybody. It's going to affect him, Khabib, everybody," Abdelaziz said. "But I'm not worried about his fighting career right now. I'm worried about his well-being and how he's going to recover from this."
The ten suspects remain in custody awaiting formal charging decisions by Abu Dhabi prosecutors.