UAE Courts Hand Down Prison Sentences to MMA Star Usman Nurmagomedov and Entourage Over Hotel Melee

​ABU DHABI — Mixed martial arts star Usman Nurmagomedov and several members of his entourage have been sentenced to six months in prison by an Abu Dhabi court following a violent hotel lobby brawl involving prominent fighter Merab Dvalishvili.

​The ruling, announced by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, marks a swift and severe legal fallout from a chaotic confrontation that went viral across social media earlier in the week.

​Public Security and Privacy Violations

​According to court documents, six members of Team Nurmagomedov—including the 28-year-old lightweight standout—were convicted of disturbing public security, causing panic, and endangering lives. In addition to their six-month prison terms, each defendant was slapped with a fine of 300,000 UAE dirhams (approximately $82,000 USD) and ordered to undergo deportation upon completing their sentences.

​The legal net cast a wider circle as local authorities cracked down on the digital spread of the altercation. Two additional individuals who filmed and uploaded footage of the brawl onto information technology networks received identical sentences of six months behind bars, 300,000-dirham fines, and mandatory deportation under strict UAE privacy laws. The court also ordered the confiscation of their mobile devices and the permanent deletion of the digital files.

​Escalation of a Deep-Seated Feud

​The altercation erupted on Wednesday inside a Yas Island hotel while Dvalishvili was participating in a media interview. Surveillance and mobile phone footage captured Nurmagomedov approaching Dvalishvili from behind before striking him in the face, triggering a chaotic, outnumbered scuffle that left the former UFC bantamweight champion bloodied and bruised.

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​The violence stems from a bubbling multi-promotional rivalry. Tensions intensified dramatically after Dvalishvili defeated Nurmagomedov’s older brother, Umar, by unanimous decision at UFC 311 in January 2025. Bad blood further fermented over the summer during a confrontation at a Real American Freestyle (RAF) event in Georgia, where physical altercations involving both camps reportedly took place backstage.

​Fallback and Immediate Athletic Aftermath

​While Nurmagomedov and his associates face incarceration through May, Dvalishvili and his associate Saba Lazishvili faced a milder judicial outcome. Detained briefly by Abu Dhabi police, the pair were released after being fined 50,000 dirhams (roughly $14,000 USD) each for their roles in the public disturbance.

​Dvalishvili was quickly cleared to return to active competition. Event organizers confirmed that he remains cleared for his scheduled appearance at the RAF event in Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov’s management team has publicly decried the incident, with manager Ali Abdelaziz issuing statements calling the violent outburst wholly unacceptable. The severe convictions leave the future of Nurmagomedov’s soaring combat sports career hanging in the balance as he begins serving his sentence abroad.