Usman Nurmagomedov’s decision to ambush and slap fellow MMA fighter Merab Dvalishvili in an Abu Dhabi hotel earlier this week has now resulted in serious consequences.
Nurmagomedov and five members of his entourage were sentenced to six months in prison, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department announced on Friday morning. In addition to the prison sentence, Nurmagomedov and the five members of his team involved in the brawl were fined 300,000 AED (approximately $81,700) and ordered to be deported from the United Arab Emirates after they complete their time in prison.
In video that circulated of the fight online, Nurmagomedov was seen approaching Dvalishvili from behind before slapping him. Animosity had previously developed between the parties after Dvalishvili defeated Nurmagomedov’s older brother, Umar, in a UFC bantamweight title fight last January.
Prior to the altercation in Abu Dhabi, the two sides also got in a similar kerfuffle during a different RAF (Real American Freestyle) event that took place in Dvalishvili’s home country of Georgia over the summer.
Although they were attacked first, Dvalishvili and fellow Georgian companion and training partner Saba Lazishvili, a wrestler, were fined 50,000 AED (approximately $13,600) for “disturbing public security and assaulting others.” Dvalishvili was initially arrested as well, but he was later released from custody.
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In addition to the arrest of Nurmagomedov and his team, two other men were also sentenced to six months in prison for violating privacy laws by recording videos of the brawl that eventually went viral on social media platforms. The court also seized their phones to delete the footage.
Nurmagomedov’s brother, Umar, was scheduled to face Urijah Faber in the RAF event taking place in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night, but he has now been removed from the lineup. Lazishvili will replace Umar after helping Dvalishvili fight off the ambush from the Nurmagomedov team.
Despite suffering facial injuries that left him bleeding during the hotel scuffle, Dvalishvili is still expected to face former UFC champion Marlon Moraes in Abu Dhabi on Saturday evening.
At a press conference Thursday in New York ahead of UFC 334 this weekend, UFC President Dana White gave his thoughts about the brawl in Abu Dhabi.
“What a bunch of f-cking idiots. It’s absolutely ridiculous and stupid. They’re all in jail,” White said. “That is not a place to go f-ck around.”
The RAF Abu Dhabi event is expected to begin at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, and it will be broadcast on Fox Nation.