- Former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili was left bloodied and bruised following a hotel lobby brawl in Abu Dhabi after being attacked by PFL champion Usman Nurmagomedov.
- The Georgian fighter was filming an interview when Nurmagomedov slapped him from behind, sparking a fight between their respective entourages.
- Dvalishvili condemned the attack on social media, labelling Nurmagomedov and his team snakes and calling for a fair fight.
- According to UFC champion Ilia Topuria, Nurmagomedov and several members of his group were subsequently detained by local authorities.
- Prominent MMA figures including Sean Strickland and Paul Hughes criticised the attack, whilst Islam Makhachev defended Nurmagomedov by citing a previous dispute.
IN FULL
