Skip to content Eight people face prison terms and deportation after the Nurmagomedov Dvalishvili brawl erupted inside an Abu Dhabi hotel on Wednesday. The violent altercation produced immediate legal consequences in the United Arab Emirates ahead of a scheduled weekend card. Local authorities arrested ten people in total, and courts swiftly convicted everyone detained.
The penalties carry massive ramifications for the individuals involved and cast a shadow over the event. Six men received six-month prison sentences alongside heavy financial sanctions. Two others received matching prison terms simply for capturing and sharing mobile phone clips of the violence.
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Those severe punishments disrupted combat sports week for the promotion Real American Freestyle. Fighters and their respective entourages learned quickly that local law enforcement does not tolerate public disorder. The confrontation transformed what should have been an exciting weekend into a serious legal crisis.
Inside the Nurmagomedov Dvalishvili brawl
The trouble started when Russian fighter Usman Nurmagomedov approached former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili from behind. Video captured at the hotel appeared to show the 28-year-old Nurmagomedov slapping Dvalishvili directly across the face. That sudden strike triggered an immediate melee between both men.
Tensions flared instantly as members from both camps rushed into the scrap. Punches and shoves quickly spread through the area while bystanders scrambled for safety. The Nurmagomedov Dvalishvili brawl quickly escalated into a mass confrontation involving numerous team members.
Abu Dhabi police arrived on the scene to break up the fighting. Officers took ten people into custody directly following the chaos. The judicial department in Abu Dhabi later announced that all ten defendants had been convicted for their roles.
Officials have kept the identities of the convicted men private. None of the ten defendants have been named publicly by the court system so far. BBC Sport also contacted Abu Dhabi’s judicial department to request formal confirmation of the verdicts.
How Abu Dhabi courts punished the clash
Court details reported by Abu Dhabi outlet The National revealed the exact punishments following the Nurmagomedov Dvalishvili brawl. Six of the defendants received six-month prison sentences for disturbing public security, causing panic and endangering lives. Each of those six individuals must pay a £62,000 fine before facing deportation after completing their jail term.
Two additional defendants received the exact same six-month jail terms and £62,000 fines. However, their convictions stemmed from violating privacy by using information technology to film and publish footage of the brawl. They will also face deportation once their sentences end.
The remaining two defendants avoided time behind bars. Instead, the court fined them £10,200 each for disturbing public security and assaulting others. In total, eight men received prison sentences alongside staggering financial penalties that top hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Video footage and the Nurmagomedov Dvalishvili brawl history
While eight people prepare for prison cells, Dvalishvili was not held behind bars for long. Real American Freestyle co-founder Chad Bronstein confirmed that the Georgian star had been freed from police custody. Bronstein expressed relief that the 35-year-old was able to return to his team hotel.
“We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the relevant authorities in Abu Dhabi for their professionalism and support.”
Bronstein praised the local authorities while confirming that Dvalishvili was safe. He also stated that organizers remained committed to moving ahead with the scheduled fights. Even so, Dvalishvili made his feelings known directly after regaining his freedom.
The Georgian athlete posted a video online while receiving medical attention for facial cuts. Dvalishvili openly called Nurmagomedov and his camp “snakes” as blood was wiped from his skin. The hostility between the two rival factions did not start overnight.
Both teams previously clashed during another RAF event back in July. UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev trains alongside Nurmagomedov. Makhachev stated that the summer clash set the stage for Wednesday’s hotel fight, as lingering animosity between the two groups had never settled.
Dana White speaks out as fight night approaches
The Nurmagomedov Dvalishvili brawl has severely disrupted the build-up to Saturday’s event. Dvalishvili is booked to headline the card against Brazilian veteran Marlon Moraes. Usman Nurmagomedov is in Abu Dhabi to support his brother Umar, who faces American veteran Urijah Faber.
The 28-year-old currently reigns as the PFL lightweight champion. But he remains out of contract after winning his most recent bout for the organization in July. His contract status fueled widespread speculation that he might soon make a move to the UFC.
UFC president Dana White offered an angry reaction to the entire situation on Friday. White told reporters that he had not spoken to Usman Nurmagomedov about signing with the promotion. Then he launched into a sharp critique of everyone involved in the hotel clash.
White called the altercation “ridiculous” and “stupid”, describing the brawlers as “a bunch of idiots”. For now, fans are waiting to see whether Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov step onto the mat on Saturday night.
Source: BBC Sport
