Merab Dvalishvili calls on Abu Dhabi authorities to free Usman Nurmagomedov in first statement after brutal attack

Key Points:

• Merab Dvalishvili, recently released from an Abu Dhabi detention center after a brutal attack, has called for compassion and asked authorities to release Usman Nurmagomedov and seven others jailed over the incident, stating he would not press charges.
• Usman Nurmagomedov and seven defendants received six-month jail sentences, fines, and eventual deportation following a violent group attack on Dvalishvili and Saba Lazishvili in an Abu Dhabi hotel lobby.
• The attack stemmed from longstanding tensions between Team Nurmagomedov and Dvalishvili, with Nurmagomedov's younger brother Umar also involved in a public feud with Dvalishvili since their UFC 311 match in January 2025.
• UFC CEO Dana White condemned Nurmagomedov and those involved as "idiots," criticizing the Khabib Nurmagomedov-led team, while UFC champion Islam Makhachev defended the attack on social media.
• Despite the controversy, Dvalishvili remains focused on moving forward and is expected to compete at RAF Abu Dhabi, with Lazishvili stepping in for Umar Nurmagomedov in a wrestling match at the event.