Topuria posts brawl video and calls Nurmagomedov camp cowards

UFC fighter Ilia Topuria posted a video on X on the evening of Wednesday 11 November showing a brawl in an Abu Dhabi hotel lobby between his friend, the former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili, and Usman Nurmagomedov’s camp. “You’re a bunch of cowards, and you’ll be held accountable for what you’ve done. You’re anything but real men,” he wrote.

The video shows Dvalishvili talking to the camera as a group approaches him from behind, and moments later a mass brawl breaks out. The National reported that the group was led by Nurmagomedov and that he struck Dvalishvili first. Topuria later deleted the post, GiveMeSport reported, but by then the video had spread to other accounts.

At about 20:30 Riga time Topuria posted again: “Usman has reportedly been detained, along with the cowards who were with him. And these are the same people who dare to preach about humility and respect? What a disgrace.” There had been no official confirmation of any detention at the time of publication.

There was no comment from Usman or Umar Nurmagomedov or the RAF league at the time of publication.

What happened before

Earlier in the day Dvalishvili posted a video on Instagram showing himself covered in blood and said he was giving an interview to the RAF league in the hotel lobby when Usman and his friends came up from behind and started hitting him and his friend. The National reported that Dvalishvili had at least one cut to his head.

Usman Nurmagomedov is a former Bellator lightweight champion and a cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili has been feuding with the Nurmagomedov camp since January 2025, when he beat Umar Nurmagomedov in a title fight at UFC 311.

Questions over the RAF event

Real American Freestyle (RAF), a freestyle wrestling league, holds an event at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on 14 November. The National reported that Dvalishvili is due to face Marlon Moraes and Umar Nurmagomedov is set to meet Urijah Faber. It is not yet known whether Dvalishvili will compete after the incident.