UFC star Merab Dvalishvili was left bloodied after claiming rival Usman Nurmagomedov attacked him in a hotel while he was filming an interview.
Dvalishvili is set to fight on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, and had described preparations as ‘a normal fight week’.
That, though, has now been thrown out the window, with Dvalishvili claiming footage showing him getting jumped portrayed Nurmagomedov and his brother, Umar, alongside their friends, attacking him.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, journalist Ariel Helwani reported on X that ‘everyone involved in the hotel brawl is still being detained by the local authorities’.
In the footage, the group appeared to approach Dvalishvili, 35, from behind, before one man said a couple of words to him and punched him in the face.
Dvalishvili was rocked, then kicked, and was held back by a man he appeared to be with.
WARNING: Graphic content
UFC star Merab Dvalishvili was attacked in a hotel – blaming rival Usman Nurmagomedov (Instagram/merab.dvalishvili)
The 35-year-old was blind sided while carrying out an interview ahead of his fight this weekend (Instagram/merab.dvalishvili)
He tried to fight back, but a number of men overwhelmed him as his companion was attacked too.
Eventually, the groups were separated, and Dvalishvili took to social media to respond to the incident.
He said in a video, bloody and bruised as he received treatment: ‘What a sneaky way guys. Just two of us, me and my friend, came here in Abu Dhabi and Usman and his friends came like snakes from behind. What kind of fighters are you guys? What kind of man does this? If you want to fight, let’s do it the real way.
‘You guys came when there was two of us, you were prepared. What the f***.’
His companion then added: ‘From behind? You call yourselves men? You’re a little b***h.’
Dvalishvili continued: ‘You are sneaky guys. You are not real men. It shows your guys’ character, what the f*** guys? If you want to fight, let’s fight. We are fighters. I talk straight, but you guys came from behind. I don’t know how many guys, all your friends waiting for us in a sneaky way, wow.
‘I knew guys, I knew what kind of guys you were. Usman, Umar and his friends came sneaky from behind, so many guys. Wow. I am fine guys. All my friends and family, I am f***ing fine. I am a fighter. This is nothing for me, but it shows what kind of people you guys are. P***ys do this bro. We are warriors.’
Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedovs have been rivals for over a year now, with the Georgian-American facing Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC311 in January 2025.
Dvalishvili branded the attackers ‘sneaky guys’ after the ambush (Instagram/merab.dvalishvili)
The Georgian-American fought Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC311 in January 2025, coming out victorious
After a heated build-up, Dvalishvili won via unanimous decision, but they have butted heads again in recent months.
Dvalishvili said in a separate post on social media: ‘So funny, my young friend, he is only 21 years old, a wrestler from Georgia. He was with me and he fought both brothers, Usman and Umar, and he only has this face, nothing else. He said I’m moving to MMA, if they can do only this to me, two guys…
‘Oh my God bro, security was holding me, and they were kicking and punching us, and what the heck. Life is good, guys, everything is good.’
