Merab Dvalishvili is back with RAF.
The former UFC bantamweight champion was attacked earlier this week by a group led by Usman Nurmagomedov. It happened ahead of his scheduled match with Marlon Moraes at RAF Abu Dhabi on Saturday. All parties involved were reportedly arrested.
On Friday, RAF CEO and co-founder Chad Bronstein released a statement.
I’m pleased to share that Merab Dvalishvili is back with us in Abu Dhabi. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the relevant authorities in Abu Dhabi for their professionalism and support.
We remain focused on moving forward and are pleased to have Merab back with us.
Dvalishvili’s status for Saturday’s match is still to be confirmed.
RAF announced at Thursday’s press conference that Usman is banned from the event. Usman and others involved have reportedly been sentenced to six months in jail. The unbeaten former PFL lightweight champion is currently a free agent.
The attack stemmed from Dvalishvili’s long rivalry with Usman’s brother, Umar. Dvalishvili beat Umar at UFC 311 in January 2025, and the two sides clashed again at RAF Georgia.
