Dubai: UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev has defended Usman Nurmagomedov following the shocking backstage altercation involving former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in Abu Dhabi, insisting that the incident was triggered by the Georgian fighter.
Makhachev broke his silence on Wednesday through an Instagram post, questioning the criticism directed at Usman and his associates while arguing that Dvalishvili had provoked the confrontation.
“Whatever happened today was started by Merab,” Makhachev wrote, adding that those condemning the Nurmagomedov camp had remained silent when Dvalishvili allegedly slapped a Dagestani fighter and insulted his honour.
In a statement translated by Uncrowned’s Kristina Avsarkisova, Makhachev said the individual had approached Dvalishvili without hostile intentions and only wanted to speak with him. He accused the Georgian of crossing the line by allegedly slapping and verbally abusing a guest in his homeland.
The controversy stems from an earlier confrontation involving Dvalishvili and Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov, a friend and training partner of the Nurmagomedov family. The incident reportedly took place backstage ahead of the RAF Georgia event in Tbilisi in July.
According to reports, Gadzhimagomedov approached Dvalishvili following a pre-event press conference, grabbed him and questioned his ongoing issues with Umar Nurmagomedov in Russian. The exchange reportedly escalated, with Dvalishvili slapping Gadzhimagomedov.
The incident added another chapter to the long-running rivalry between Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov, who faced each other at UFC 311 in January 2025. Dvalishvili emerged victorious via unanimous decision, successfully defending his UFC bantamweight championship.
Makhachev’s intervention is significant given his close association with the Nurmagomedov family. The reigning UFC welterweight champion has longstanding friendships and training ties with both Usman and Umar, while his mentor and coach, former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, is their cousin.
Tensions between the two camps escalated dramatically on Wednesday after footage emerged showing Usman Nurmagomedov and several other individuals allegedly attacking Dvalishvili in a hotel lobby in Abu Dhabi.
The disturbing video showed Dvalishvili being confronted by a group, with the former UFC champion and one of his companions reportedly sustaining bloody injuries during the altercation. The footage quickly attracted widespread attention and criticism from members of the MMA community.
Usman Nurmagomedov, Umar’s younger brother, is a former Bellator and PFL lightweight champion and is currently an MMA free agent.
The incident has also raised questions about the participation of both fighters in Saturday’s RAF freestyle wrestling event in Abu Dhabi. Dvalishvili is scheduled to face Marlon Moraes, while Umar Nurmagomedov is expected to take on UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber.
As of Wednesday, it remained unclear whether the hotel altercation would affect either fighter’s participation in the event.
The confrontation has once again brought the bitter rivalry between the Nurmagomedov camp and Dvalishvili into the spotlight, with Makhachev’s public defence adding another prominent voice to an already heated controversy.
