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Nov 12, 2026, 7:05 AM GMT
Hal is an experienced freelance sports journalist at GiveMeSport, having previously produced content for websites such as Goal, football.london, HertsLive, 90min, The Set Pieces and many others.
Hal picked up his MA in Sports Journalism and NCTJ qualification from St Mary's University Twickenham, Hal has since been part of Valnet since late 2021.
He started as a freelance football writer for This Is Futbol and carried that on over to FootballFanCast before becoming their social media editor. He now works as an editor for GiveMeSport, predominantly focusing on Premier League, Champions League, and English football.
He also helps GiveMeSport cover other major sports such as MMA, boxing, darts, tennis, and golf. Key events like the summer and winter Olympics are also highlights when they appear on the sporting calendar.
Hal is an Arsenal and Three Lions fan, but keeps an eye on the All Blacks, his favourite rugby team, having grown up in New Zealand.
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There were wild scenes this week as UFC star Merab Dvalishvili was jumped by MMA fighter Usman Nurmagomedov. The police have since become involved after footage of the incident went viral.
Taking to his social media accounts, Dvalishvili shocked fans as he shared footage of his bloodied face shortly after being attacked. In a furious post, while receiving treatment for his injuries, the Georgian called out the Russian:
“What a sneaky way, guys, just two of us came here in Abu Dhabi, and Usman Nurmagomedov and his friends came like snakes from behind, what kind of fighters are you? What kind of men are you?"
Fellow UFC champion Ilia Topuria has now given a big update on the matter.
On X, Topuria slammed the incident, while also noting that Nurmagomedov has been detained for his role in the fight. He explained:
"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.
"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."
Topuria isn't the only big name to condemn the incident, with Sean Strickland commenting: "Usman Nurmagomedov is the definition of a b****.. These guys all run around pretending to be hard but they all act like f****** dogs waiting to attack you when youre not looking...."
MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has now added more information on the police's involvement in the matter. Taking to social media, he revealed that 'everyone involved' in the 'altercation' was actually taken to a police station for questioning.
He also noted that Dvalishvili isn't the one pressing charges. In full, he explained:
"The latest I'm hearing is that everyone involved in the Merab Dvalishvili/Usman Nurmagomedov altercation, including Merab and his friend, are at the police station for questioning.
"My understanding is that Merab isn't the one pressing charges, but the incident happened in public and was caught on camera so everyone was brought in.
Helwani concluded: "The bigger question for me is: Will the UFC still sign Usman after something like this? Very curious to see how they handle this one."
Dvalishvili is scheduled to take on Marlon Moraes this Saturday, but it's unclear if the RAF Abu Dhabi fight will now go ahead.
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