Dana White blasts RAF security after Usman Nurmagomedov attacks Merab Dvalishvili at event

Dana White has publicly condemned RAF’s handling of fighter security after Usman Nurmagomedov and several members of his crew attacked Merab Dvalishvili during a pre-event interview at RAF Abu Dhabi, leaving the former UFC bantamweight champion and a teammate bloodied and bruised. Nurmagomedov, the PFL lightweight champion, reportedly threw the first punch, triggering a melee that ended with him and seven others sentenced to six months in jail.

Speaking to EuroSport ahead of UFC 334 in New York City, White expressed frustration that the brawl-prone pattern around RAF events has gone unaddressed. “Anywhere the whole Khabib crew shows up there’s usually going to be some fights going on, or Khamzat and all these guys,” White said. “And the RAF, there’s literally a fist fight at every one of these things.”

The incident is the latest in a string of violent altercations tied to RAF events. Arman Tsarukyan has been involved in brawls with Georgio Poullas and Dillon Danis this year, Khamzat Chimaev and Danis sparked a melee after their June bout at RAF 10, and Belal Muhammad attacked Colby Covington at the RAF 11 post-event press conference in July. White and the UFC have permitted their athletes to compete regularly in RAF wrestling matches throughout this period.

White called on RAF to take responsibility and adapt. “You would think they would learn after a couple of these and figure out how to stop this from happening,” he said. “People always ask me, ‘Oh, isn’t this good for you?’ No, it’s never good.”

The UFC CEO was not without self-criticism, pointing to the infamous post-fight brawl following Khabib Nurmagomedov’s submission win over Conor McGregor as his own cautionary lesson. “Last one that happened with Khabib’s crew and Dillon Danis, I completely blame myself for that. I knew he was there. I messed up on that one, not my team.”

White also raised the specific risks of such incidents occurring in the Middle East. “It’s super dangerous. And to do it in a place like the Middle East? What if any of you get seriously injured?” he said, underscoring that the consequences of uncontrolled violence extend well beyond the sport’s usual boundaries.