Dana White sees no place for fighters getting into brawls outside the cage and that includes Usman Nurmagomedov attacking Merab Dvalishvili ahead of RAF Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
The melee unfolded on Tuesday after videos surfaced showing Dvalishvili doing an interview and Nurmagomedov approaching him before unleashing a slap that set up a massive brawl in a hotel lobby as security scrambled to intervene. The bad blood between Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov family is well known but nobody saw that altercation
coming until it exploded with all parties being arrested by Abu Dhabi police.
At the UFC 334 pre-fight press conference on Thursday, the UFC CEO gave his take on the situation and he pulled no punches when reacting to what unfolded.
“What a bunch of f*cking idiots,” White said. “It’s absolutely ridiculous and stupid and they’re all in jail. That is not a place to go f*ck around.”
Abu Dhabi police released a statement on Thursday addressing the altercation and the multiple arrests made from the incident including the people recording what happened with cameras.
There was no further update on when those arrested might be released.
Dvalishvili was scheduled to compete on Saturday in a match against Marlon Moraes while Umar Nurmagomedov, who was also involved in the altercation, is expected to face Urijah Faber. While RAF officials said that Usman Nurmagomedov was banned from the event, there’s still no update on his brothe Umar or Dvalishvili’s status ahead of the matches.
Prior to this ugly incident, Nurmagomedov was a highly touted free agent after completing his most recent contract with the PFL and there was plenty of spectulation that he would be high on the UFC’s wish list.
But does this attack potentially ruin a future relationship with the UFC?
White made it clear that for now Nurmagomedov is still under contract — an exclusive negotiating period with the PFL — and the UFC hasn’t engaged in any talks with him yet.
“He’s still under contract,” White said. “We’re not talking him right now anyway.”
