'Snakes from behind': Bloodied Merab Dvalishvili blasts Usman Nurmagomedov after shocking Abu Dhabi brawl - Watch viral video

In a shocking turn of events, former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili got engaged in an unwanted brutal fight with Usman Nurmagomedov and a number of other people on Wednesday (November 11) ahead of the Real American Freestyle (RAF) event in Abu Dhabi. The unexpected incident reportedly happened inside a hotel lobby while Dvalishvili was giving an interview ahead of the event. The Georgian fighter, who left bloodied due to the attack, blamed Nurmagomedov and his associates for the brawl. The videos of the fight and subsequent treatment of Dvalishvili soon went viral across social media and brought fresh attention to his longtime rivalry with Nurmagomedov and his family.

BLOODIED MERAB ACCUSES USMAN OF SNEAK ATTACK IN ABU DHABI

According to MMA Fighting, Dvalishvili asserted that he and his friend were outnumbered by Nurmagomedov and his friends who supposedly assaulted him before the fight.

This 35-year-old later posted a video of himself showing injuries on his face as he was being treated medically. His friend was also injured.

"What a sneaky way, just two of us, me and my friend came here in Abu Dhabi, and Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends came like snakes from behind," Dvalishvili said.

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The former champion wondered why professional fighters would attack someone in the back rather than face him directly. He further alleged that he was held down by security while the other group kept on kicking him and his friend.

However, there is hope in the sense that even with his injuries, Dvalishvili has reassured his fans that everything is all right with him and he is fully committed to compete.

ILIA TOPURIA SLAMS ALLEGED ATTACKERS

According to Yardbarker, former two-division UFC champion Ilia Topuria, who is a good friend of Dvalishvili, harshly condemned the persons behind all this. He also reportedly alleged that Usman and some other people had been arrested.



This fight is happening amidst an ongoing rivalry between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili beat Umar through a unanimous decision at UFC 311 in January 2025 to successfully defend his bantamweight title.

The new dispute has made everyone wonder about the upcoming bout between Dvalishvili and Marlon Moraes, which takes place during the upcoming Saturday’s RAF Abu Dhabi. Umar is also expected to have a clash against his rival from the UFC - Urijah Faber.