Dvalishvili released from custody as RAF confirms he may still wrestle Moraes after Nurmagomedov hotel ambush

Merab Dvalishvili is out of custody in Abu Dhabi and back with the Real American Freestyle team ahead of his scheduled wrestling match against Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi on Saturday, the promotion confirmed in a statement on Friday. His participation in the bout, however, remains unconfirmed.

Dvalishvili’s fight week was derailed when he was ambushed and left bruised and bloodied by a group led by former PFL champion Usman Nurmagomedov and UFC rival Umar Nurmagomedov. Footage of the attack spread rapidly across social media, drawing widespread condemnation from the MMA community. All parties involved were subsequently arrested by Abu Dhabi authorities.

“I’m pleased to share that Merab Dvalishvili is back with us in Abu Dhabi,” RAF CEO and co-founder Chad Bronstein wrote in the statement. “We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the relevant authorities in Abu Dhabi for their professionalism and support. We remain focused on moving forward and are pleased to have Merab back with us.”

RAF moved quickly to distance itself from Usman Nurmagomedov, announcing at Thursday’s pre-event press conference that he is banned from Saturday’s event.

The attack appears rooted in a rivalry that has been building since January 2025, when Dvalishvili defeated Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision at UFC 311 to successfully defend the bantamweight title. The pair continued to exchange barbs publicly in the months that followed, and a confrontation between them at RAF Georgia in August is believed to have further inflamed tensions ahead of the Abu Dhabi incident.

Usman Nurmagomedov and others involved in the brawl reportedly face up to six months in jail. The undefeated fighter is currently a free agent following a championship run in PFL’s lightweight division, and it remains unclear how the incident could affect any potential UFC signing.