We Now Know What Reportedly Happened to Usman Nurmagomedov After Jumping Merab Dvalishvili

Usman Nurmagomedov, 28, entered November as the most sought-after free agent in MMA. 

The unbeaten PFL Lightweight Champion closed out his contract with a first-round knockout of Archie Colgan in July. Since his 90-day exclusive negotiating window with the promotion also expired on Oct. 29, many expected him to sign with the UFC next after reportedly rejecting a $2 million offer from the PFL.

However, before making his next career move, he now faces potential legal trouble after attacking Merab Dvalishvili in Abu Dhabi ahead of "The Machine’s" fourth RAF appearance.

Ilia Topuria Claims Usman Nurmagomedov Was Detained After Merab Dvalishvili Brawl

Usman’s brawl with Dvalishvili carries forward the former UFC champion’s rocky history with the Nurmagomedov camp. The rivalry began nearly two years ago following Dvalishvili’s UFC 311 victory over Usman's elder brother Umar Nurmagomedov. Earlier this year, it escalated into a physical brawl backstage at RAF Georgia when Dvalishvili slapped one of Umar's friends.

The Abu Dhabi incident, which left Dvalishvili bloodied, appears to be the latest chapter in that bad blood. After the hotel lobby attack, Dvalishvili accused Usman and his associates of ambushing him and his young friend Saba Lazishvili from behind while throwing punches. Clear footage is also available now to back up his story.

Former two-division UFC champion Ilia Topuria, a close friend of Dvalishvili, shared video of the encounter before claiming that Nurmagomedov and the men with him had been detained.

Criticizing the group, Topuria wrote, "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. A bunch of absolute cowards.”

He added, “I always thought you were a bunch of mediocre individuals. Now you’ve removed every last doubt. Honor, respect, and humility aren’t words you preach. They’re values you live by. And you’ve shown none of them."

"The Machine" was working on his wrestling skills ahead of Saturday’s catchweight crossover match against Marlon Moraes at Etihad Arena. In that bout, he will look to repeat his UFC 266 TKO win over Moraes while returning to action just weeks after losing to Petr Yan at UFC 333. Whether this latest setback affects his focus on fight night remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, the incident has already put a major dent in Usman’s image. He was a favorite to join Dana White’s promotion, as the UFC CEO had even expressed interest in the Dagestani standout. Usman ended up leaving a former UFC champion bloodied outside the cage. It will be interesting to see how White reacts when reporters ask him about this brawl.

Moreover, being held by police puts Usman at risk of criminal charges in the UAE. It will likely force other MMA organizations to think twice about how signing him might hurt their public image.