An Abu Dhabi court convicted 10 people over a brawl involving MMA fighters Usman Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili at a hotel on Wednesday ahead of a wrestling event.
Six members of Team Nurmagomedov received six-month prison sentences, fines of 300,000 dirhams (approximately $81,600), and deportation orders. Dvalishvili and a friend were fined 50,000 dirhams ($13,600) for disturbing public security and assault. Two additional people received six-month sentences for filming the brawl and publishing footage online; the court ordered confiscation of their phones and deletion of the video.
The brawl began in the Yas Hilton lobby when Dvalishvili was being interviewed before the Real American Freestyle (RAF) event scheduled for Saturday. Videos showed Usman approaching from behind and slapping Dvalishvili, which started the altercation. Usman, a PFL lightweight champion and cousin of retired fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, had travelled to accompany his older brother Umar, who was scheduled to fight at the event.
Dvalishvili was released from custody and remains available for his scheduled match with Marlon Moraes. He posted on social media: "I am good, healthy and ready to go" and said he would not press charges, asking that others "be released; I want peace and the best for all."
RAF organisers removed Umar from the card after the incident, replacing him with Saba Lazishvili, who was also involved in the brawl. The two fighters have clashed before, including after Dvalishvili defeated Umar in a UFC bantamweight title fight last January.