Abu Dhabi Hotel Brawl: 10 Convicted Over Nurmagomedov-Dvalishvili Clash, Eight Jailed

The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court has convicted 10 people over a mass brawl at a hotel involving mixed martial artists Usman Nurmagomedov, Merab Dvalishvili and their teammates. The brawl broke out ahead of a wrestling event organised by Real American Freestyle (RAF).

The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department announced on Friday that 10 defendants were convicted in connection with the brawl inside the hotel and sentenced to six months' imprisonment along with deportation from the country.

ESPN reported that six members of Team Nurmagomedov were sentenced to six months in prison, fined 300,000 dirhams (approximately $81,600) and ordered to be deported after serving their sentences.

According to Abu Dhabi-based The National, former UFC bantamweight champion Dvalishvili and a friend were fined 50,000 dirhams ($13,600) for disturbing public security and assaulting others.

Two additional people were handed six-month prison sentences for privacy violations after they filmed the brawl and published the footage online. The court also ordered the confiscation of their phones and the deletion of the footage.

The brawl broke out on Wednesday when Georgian Dvalishvili, who was scheduled to appear at RAF Abu Dhabi on Saturday, was being interviewed in the lobby of the Yas Hilton. Videos shared online showed PFL lightweight champion Usman coming in from behind and slapping Dvalishvili, which started the melee.

Usman was not scheduled to feature at the RAF Abu Dhabi card but had travelled to the UAE capital to accompany his older brother Umar, who was scheduled to face Urijah Faber. Later on Friday, the organisers removed Umar from the card, replacing him with Saba Lazishvili, Dvalishvili's friend who was also involved in the brawl.

RAF cofounder Chad Bronstein said Dvalishvili has been released from custody and remains available for his scheduled match with Marlon Moraes. He expressed appreciation to the relevant authorities in Abu Dhabi for their professionalism and support.

Dvalishvili, in his own statement on X, said he had been released and was good, healthy and ready to go. He said he hoped everyone would be released, that he would not press charges, and that he wanted peace and the best for all.

Wednesday's incident was not the first clash between Dvalishvili and Team Nurmagomedov. Tensions escalated in January last year after Dvalishvili defeated Usman's older brother Umar in a UFC bantamweight title fight, and they also had a smaller altercation at an RAF event in Georgia in July, the reports said.