Dana White calls Usman Nurmagomedov-Merab Dvalishvili ‘freaking idiotic’ fight as 10 arrested and jailed in Abu Dhabi

Dana White condemns the brawl in Abu Dhabi involving Usman Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili after police arrested 10 people, with the fighters reportedly jailed. UFC president Dana White has given a scathing assessment of the altercation between Usman Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili in Abu Dhabi, describing those involved as “fucking idiots” after police made several arrests. The incident also raised questions about Nurmagomedov’s potential future in the UFC, especially after the promotion has been linked to the highly regarded lightweight in recent weeks.

Dana White condemns fights and arrests in Abu Dhabi

White addressed the confrontation at the UFC 334 pre-fight press conference on Thursday, Nov. 12, after being asked about the fight that left Dvalishvili bloodied and several people in police custody.“What a bunch of f“It’s completely ridiculous and stupid and everyone is in jail.” That’s not the place to go f around.”The UFC president later offered another assessment when approached by New York street reporter Adam Glyn, who reiterated his concern about the incident’s impact on everyone involved.“Those things are never good for business. It makes everybody look bad. It’s unfortunate. Now they’re all in jail in Abu Dhabi. We’ll see how that goes,” White said.The confrontation took place on Wednesday, November 11 at a hotel in Abu Dhabi, where Nurmagomedov interrupted Dvalishvili during an interview before the Real American Freestyle (RAF) bout. Footage circulating online showed Nurmagomedov approaching the Georgian fighter and slapping him before the situation escalated into a wider fight involving members of both groups.Dvalishvili subsequently shared footage showing his bloodied face and claimed that he and his friend had been attacked by Nurmagomedov and several members of his entourage. The incident prompted Abu Dhabi police to confirm 10 arrests, with eight people detained for their alleged involvement in the fight and two others arrested for filming it. All those detained have been referred to prosecutors, although authorities have not identified those arrested or confirmed whether Nurmagomedov or Dvalishvili were among them.

Usman Nurmagomedov has been ruled out of the RAF event as fight cards face uncertainty

The incident came just days before the RAF’s first Middle East event, scheduled for Saturday 14 November in Abu Dhabi. Dvalishvili was scheduled to fight Marlon Moraes, while Umar Nurmagomedov, Usman’s brother, was scheduled to fight Urijah Faber.RAF co-founder Chad Bronstein confirmed that Usman was banned from the event after the confrontation at the hotel. However, there has been no equivalent confirmation regarding Umar or Dvalishvili, so it is uncertain whether the two scheduled matches will go ahead as planned.Umar was also allegedly involved in a wider altercation, although the exact circumstances and individual roles remain the subject of a police investigation. The arrest added another complication to an event already facing scrutiny due to confrontation between the two camps.The rivalry between fighters also has an established sporting history. In early 2025, Dvalishvili retained his UFC Bantamweight Championship by defeating Umar on points. Umar subsequently suffered another setback in August when he was knocked out by Song Yadong.Usman stepped into the cage after that defeat and appeared to elbow Song as the Chinese fighter celebrated by running around the Octagon. The incident drew criticism, although many viewers considered the contact to be accidental. His latest confrontation with Dvalishvili has now drawn renewed attention to his behavior outside the competition.

Will the incident affect Usman Nurmagomedov’s potential move to the UFC?

The timing of the showdown is particularly important as Nurmagomedov has been linked with a move to the UFC. The Russian, a cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, is widely regarded as one of the top fighters in his division outside of the promotion and has attracted considerable interest as a potential signing.However, White downplayed the immediate possibility of negotiations when asked about Nurmagomedov’s situation at Thursday’s press conference.“He’s still under contract (with the PFL). We’re not talking to him right now anyway,” White said.His comments also addressed speculation that Nurmagomedov was already a free agent after completing his last contract in the PFL. White’s explanation suggests that from the UFC’s point of view, the Russian remains under contract with the organization.However, the incident in Abu Dhabi could complicate his prospects if he is eventually available. Footage of the initial slap and subsequent group confrontation has drawn widespread criticism, while the police investigation and potential legal ramifications bring considerations beyond his cage record.There has been speculation that the incident could weaken Nurmagomedov’s negotiating position or affect the financial terms of a potential UFC deal. However, White did not announce any disciplinary decision or rule out his signing in the future. For now, his stance is that the fighter remains under contract with the PFL and the UFC is not negotiating a deal with him.