Abu Dhabi court convicts 10 over hotel brawl, six jailed for six months

A criminal court in Abu Dhabi has convicted 10 people over a mass brawl at a hotel on Yas Island on 11 November between the camps of former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili and MMA fighter Usman Nurmagomedov. The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department announced the verdict on Friday, 13 November.

Six defendants were each sentenced to six months in prison and fined 300,000 UAE dirhams (about $81,700), and will be deported from the United Arab Emirates after serving their sentences. The court found them guilty of disturbing public order, causing panic and endangering lives. According to ESPN, all six are members of Nurmagomedov's team.

The authorities have not officially named those convicted, so it has not been confirmed whether Usman Nurmagomedov himself is among those jailed.

Jail for those who filmed it

Two people who filmed the brawl and posted the footage online were sentenced separately. For violating privacy by using information technology, they received the same punishment: six months in prison, a fine of 300,000 dirhams each and deportation. The court ordered the phones used for filming to be confiscated and the published videos deleted.

Two others were each fined 50,000 dirhams (about $13,600) for disturbing public order and assaulting others. ESPN reported that they were Dvalishvili and a friend. Chad Bronstein, chief executive of the RAF league, confirmed that Dvalishvili had been released.

Abu Dhabi Police had earlier said 10 people were detained over the incident. The verdict came a day before the Abu Dhabi event of Real American Freestyle (RAF), a freestyle wrestling league, at the Etihad Arena on 14 November.