Merab Dvalishvili alleges Abu Dhabi hotel attack ahead of RAF event

Merab Dvalishvili has accused Usman Nurmagomedov and members of his entourage of attacking him and a friend at an Abu Dhabi hotel on November 11. In his social-media account, reported by MMA Fighting, Dvalishvili said the confrontation occurred during an interview in the hotel lobby and alleged the group approached from behind. This is his account, not a finding independently established by SportDailyMail.

The response

Islam Makhachev voiced support for Nurmagomedov in an Instagram statement, MMA Fighting reported separately. His intervention is a public reaction, not independent verification of competing accounts.

What it means for Saturday

The immediate sporting question is whether the scheduled wrestling appearance proceeds. A public allegation and an athlete’s ability to compete are separate matters; social-media reactions cannot establish medical clearance or an event decision.

RAF’s official athlete page lists Dvalishvili against Marlon Moraes in Abu Dhabi on November 14, 2026. The listing identifies the contest as a Catchweight Crossover. It remains on the published schedule at the time of this report.

For readers planning to follow the event, that schedule is the relevant starting point, not proof that the reported confrontation has had no effect. Any change to the match and any account of the hotel incident should be assessed separately, against the evidence supporting each.