Ilia Topuria, ahead of the Real American Freestyle (RAF) Abu Dhabi event this Saturday, has put Usman Nurmagomedov

on blast following his altercation with Merab Dvalishvili last night.

Dvalishvili, 35, is scheduled to compete at the RAF event in the United Arab Emirates this Saturday, against Brazilian Marlon Moraes.

Last night, however, mid-interview with RAF leading up to this weekend's event, he was approached by Nurmagomedov and a group of Dagestani fighters in the hotel lobby, who launched a sneak attack on him and a friend.

Nurmagomedov, the former Bellator lightweight world champion, was first to lay hands on Dvalishvili, before the rest of his entourage joined him in the attack.

The incident comes amid a history of tension between Dvalishvili and the Nurmagomedov camp, dating back to his rivalry with Umar Nurmagomedov, Usman's brother. The Georgian defeated Umar by unanimous decision at UFC 311 in January 2025.

Relations between the two camps have remained strained since, with further confrontations involving members of their respective sides in the months that followed. Wednesday night's actions have now brought those tensions back to the spotlight.

The news of the altercation was quick to spread online, sparking reactions from the MMA world, including Topuria taking to social media to address the incident and make his feelings towards Nurmagomedov clear.

Ilia Topuria's Tweet After Usman Nurmagomedov's Attack

Topuria has been involved in previous exchanges with members of the Dagestani fighting community, and is a good friend of fellow Georgian, Dvalishvili.

Quick to condemn Nurmagomedov and his side, Topuria tweeted the following: "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.

"Honour, respect, and humility aren't words you preach. They're values you live by. And you've shown none of them."

Topuria was not the only one to publicly condemn the incident, with Dvalishvili also taking to social media shortly after the confrontation.

The Georgian shared footage of himself receiving medical attention following the attack, showing visible injuries to his face. He accused Nurmagomedov and his camp of attacking him and a friend from behind, while questioning their actions and challenging them to settle their differences 'the real way', inside an MMA setting.

Whether the incident will have any repercussions ahead of Saturday's event remains to be seen, but the confrontation has once again highlighted the growing animosity between the two sides.