Who Is Saba Lazishvili
Saba Lazishvili is a 21-year-old Georgian wrestler and a friend of Dvalishvili. He is the younger brother of former UFC fighter Zviad Lazishvili (OC Media). Bloody Elbow wrote in a headline that Lazishvili "dropped two" during the brawl. The footage posted by Red Corner MMA shows a chaotic scrum with punches and kicks, several men fighting at once (MiddleEasy).
After the fight, Dvalishvili recorded a video with a bloodied face, standing next to Lazishvili. "Just two of us, me and my friend, came here in Abu Dhabi, and Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends came like snakes from behind," he said (OC Media). Dvalishvili said the attackers kept kicking them while they were on the ground. That has not been independently confirmed.
What Dana White Said
UFC president Dana White addressed the brawl at a news conference on November 12. He called it "absolutely ridiculous and stupid" (ESPN) and said it was "not a place to go f— around" (MMA Mania). Usman Nurmagomedov is currently a restricted free agent with the PFL, and many expected him to move to the UFC in 2027 (ESPN).
Fellow fighters went further. Ilia Topuria, a close friend of Dvalishvili, wrote that "honour, respect, and humility aren't words you preach. They're values you live by. And you've shown none of them" (The National). Sean Strickland called for lifetime bans, and Tbilisi mayor Kakha Kaladze condemned the attack (OC Media).
What a sneaky way, guys. What kind of fighters you guys are? What kind of man does this? If you want to try, let's do it the real way.
Arrests and the Matches
Abu Dhabi Police said 10 people were arrested and the case was referred to prosecutors, without naming anyone (The National). Journalist Ariel Helwani wrote on November 12 that everyone involved, including Dvalishvili and Lazishvili, was still being held, and that as he understood it Dvalishvili did not intend to press charges (OC Media). According to The National, RAF is working with UAE authorities on Dvalishvili's release.
On November 14, Dvalishvili was due to wrestle Marlon Moraes, and Umar Nurmagomedov was set to face Urijah Faber. RAF co-founder Chad Bronstein said Usman would not attend the event and that the status of the two matches was still open (Yahoo Sports).
