Dana White condemns hotel brawl as Nurmagomedov and entourage jailed in Abu Dhabi

UFC president Dana White condemned the hotel lobby brawl between Usman Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, warning that such incidents damage everyone involved after all parties were detained by local law enforcement.

Nurmagomedov, an unbeaten Russian lightweight free agent whom the UFC reportedly holds strong interest in signing, initiated the altercation by slapping Dvalishvili in a hotel lobby. The confrontation escalated into a full brawl involving Nurmagomedov’s entourage and a friend of the former UFC bantamweight champion. Dvalishvili subsequently posted on social media showing bruises and cuts sustained by himself and his companion.

“That stuff’s never good for business,” White told Adam Glyn. “Makes everybody involved look bad. And it’s unfortunate. We’re in the fight business, and crazy sh*t happens. Now they are all in jail in Abu Dhabi; let’s see how that goes.”

White also addressed the incident at the UFC 334 pre-fight press conference in New York, where he emphasised the severity of Abu Dhabi’s legal system. “It’s absolutely ridiculous and stupid,” he said. “They’re all in jail. That is not a place to go f*ck around.”

The timing of the brawl carries immediate sporting consequences for Dvalishvili, who was scheduled to compete against Marlon Moraes in Abu Dhabi on Saturday under the Real American Freestyle banner. The organisation has said it is still hoping Dvalishvili will be able to compete, though Nurmagomedov has been banned from attending the event entirely.

The incident has drawn widespread backlash toward Nurmagomedov and his entourage, and places his reported UFC negotiations in an uncertain light at a moment when the promotion had been tracking him as a marquee free-agent addition.